Do you want to know about the discogenic low back pain? It is a spinal condition caused by internal disc disruption. In general, the symptoms of discogenic low back pain are different from the symptoms of radiculopathies and spinal deformities.
Everyone knows that low back pain is a common spinal disorder or condition. Primarily, the cause of this condition is a lumbar sprain, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, and various degenerative disorders of the spine.
In today’s article, we will talk about discogenic low back pain, which is a degenerative condition. We also talk about the causes of this condition and the possible discogenic back pain treatment options, including minimally invasive surgery.
What is Discogenic Low Back Pain?
In general, it is due to a damaged vertebral disc. Most often, the condition is caused by degenerative disc disease. Remember that not all degenerated discs lead to the occurrence of pain. As mentioned various times, degeneration of the disc is a natural process that occurs as you age.
A fully degenerated disc has inflammatory proteins that cause swelling and pain in the spine. As a result, the disc is unstable and leads to discogenic pain. Keep in mind that this condition does not or rarely occurs after 60 years of age. This is when there are no inflammatory proteins in the degenerated disc that can cause pain.
When it comes to discogenic back pain treatment, our surgeons at MINT has confirmed that it can be treated with conservative options, which include medications, exercise, and physical therapy.
What are The Causes of Discogenic Low Back Pain?
Discogenic back pain is caused by slow degeneration or deterioration of the intervertebral disc. It is often due to aging and other changes in the physical and chemical structure of the disc.
Such changes lead to inflammation as well as wear and tear in the disc’s annulus. In simple words, there occurs internal disc disruption, which disturbs the formation of the nerve fibers in the annular ring of the disc.
The leakage of fluid in a slow manner from the disc also causes the disc’s height to collapse. As a result, the disc becomes dry and firm. Traumatic disruption, inadequate nutrition, and hereditary factors also contribute to discogenic low back pain.
What are the Possible Treatments for Discogenic Low Back Pain?
There are various discogenic back pain treatment options. The type of treatment depends on your spinal condition. The doctor will decide whether or not you should undergo medications, physical therapy, or both.
Generally, medications for discogenic low back pain are opioids, anti-inflammatory drugs, pain killers, and anti-depressants, including SSRIs. Physical therapy is another line of treatment for this spinal condition. For instance, therapies such as transcutaneous nerve stimulation, ultrasound, and massage are useful for relieving pain in the back.
A qualified physical therapist, under the guidance of your primary caregiver, will develop a program or plan that consists of stretching exercises and back movements to strengthen the spinal muscles. Core strengthening is also helpful in reducing inflammation and relieving pain from the degenerative disc.
So, physical therapy sessions aim to strengthen the muscles of your back and make them stronger, which leads to shielding the disc from pressure/loads. As a result, you feel less pain.
Spinal injections are often prescribed to quicken the process of pain relief and inflammation reduction. Local anesthetics are combined with corticosteroid injections, which are injected into your facet joint to help reduce pain in the lower back and legs.
Sometimes, the doctor may prescribe orthoses or braces to help support you back. The primary goal of orthoses is to restrict movement in the back, which would otherwise cause painful sensations.
Here at MINT, our surgeons believe that bracing works for patients and not for others. At the same time, the research of our surgeons shows that bracing is a long-term treatment for relieving back pain.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
The minimally invasive technique is a sophisticated method, which allows our surgeons to perform a wide range of spinal procedures. For instance, here at MINT, we use minimally invasive procedures to treat various spinal conditions, such as herniated discs, correction of scoliosis, discogenic low back pain, as well as perform a spinal fusion.
When it comes to the benefits of minimally invasive procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision in the back or front of the patient, there is less blood, shorter hospital stay, speedy recovery, and less scarring.
Minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery can successfully treat discogenic low back pain. It involves replacing the damaged disc with bone graft material or cages. Contact MINT today for discogenic low back pain treatment.
