Like other soft tissues in your body, the discs between spinal vertebrae are susceptible to degenerative changes. Over the years, the discs dehydrate, thin out, and can’t continue to do their normal job of cushioning your vertebrae and absorbing shock. Daily wear-and-tear also damages the tough outer covering.
These changes eventually make the disc collapse. When that happens, the spine can become unstable. Additionally, the vertebrae above and below the disc move closer together, leading to the development of bone spurs.
Any time a disc collapses, vertebrae move out of their normal alignment or bone spurs develop, and the nearby nerves can become compressed. The damaged nerve causes pain that may be a constant ache or a severe, sharp pain.
The most common symptoms include:
- Pain in the affected area and possibly radiating down an arm or leg
- Pain that’s worse when sitting, bending, lifting, or twisting
- Pain that improves when you lie down or change positions
- Periods of pain that come and go
- Tingling or numbness in your arm or leg
- Weakness in arm or leg muscles
- If you develop spinal instability, you may also develop painful muscle spasms.
Treatment for disc degeneration often begins with physical therapy customized to strengthen your spine, improve movement, and diminish pain and swelling. If your pain is too severe or doesn’t improve with physical medicine, your doctor may recommend an epidural or facet joint injection.
These injections contain a local anesthetic to quickly stop the pain and a steroid that reduces inflammation to provide longer-lasting relief. Using fluoroscopic imaging to guide the needle, your doctor precisely places the medication near the affected nerve, either in the epidural space alongside the spinal cord or near the facet joint.
If an injection successfully relieves your pain, your doctor may recommend a radiofrequency neurotomy. This procedure uses radiofrequency energy to create a controlled wound on the nerve sending pain signals to your brain. The wound blocks nerve transmission, which means your brain doesn’t get the message, and you stop feeling pain.
