Have You Been Diagnosed with a Degenerative Spine?
You may feel overhwelmed if you have recently been diagnosed with a degenerative spine condition. However, it’s important to maintain a positive attitude about treating your condition. Degenerative changes in the spine are extremely common and there are many treatment options available to help manage symptoms. It is important to have a comprehensive understanding of how to ease degenerative spine pain. Continue reading to learn about popular conservative treatment options.
Conservative Treatment Options
After a doctor diagnoses a degenerative spine condition, the next step is usually to develop a personalized treatment plan. In most cases, this initially means nonsurgical techniques that are designed to help manage pain while improving spinal flexibility, strength, and overall health.
Although techniques can vary from patient to patient depending on a number of factors, some combination of the following treatments is often recommended:
- Medication. Depending on the exact nature and severity of symptoms, a doctor may recommend either prescription or over-the-counter pain medication or anti-inflammatories.
- Lifestyle changes. You shouls take steps to manage weight, improve nutrition, get regular exercise, and quit smoking to improve spine health.
- Hot and cold therapy. Alternating use of a heating pad to relax muscles and improve circulation with an ice pack to reduce inflammation and numb the area can be beneficial.
- Physical therapy. This involves both working with a physical therapist as well as performing exercises at home to strengthen supporting muscles and improve range of motion.
- Epidural steroid injections. A series of injections to the epidural space of the spinal cord can relieve inflammation and reduce pain enough for patients to engage in everyday activities.
Treatment with BEST Health System
Above all else, you should listen to your doctor. This is the the best thing you can do after a degenerative spine diagnosis. While it’s highly recommended to educate yourself on your condition and the treatments available to you, keep in mind that what works for someone else isn’t necessarily the best course of action for you. Your doctor should take into consideration a variety of factors when crafting a personalized degenerative spine treatment plan. Additionally, the success of your treatment can often depend on how closely you follow your treatment plan.
You may consider surgery if you have exhausted all other treatment options without finding the necessary relief. Contact BEST if you are considering surgery. Our board-certified surgeons help patients find the most effective, least invasive treatment option.
