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Disc Desiccation: Cause & Treatment of Desiccated Discs

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Disc Desiccation is a Painful Experience

A disc dessication is a degenerative condition that can be or become very painful. It is the earliest sign of a more severe disc degeneration and should not be overlooked.

If you find the right way to handle it in time you'll get the problem under control and hence be able to avoid more serious back problems or surgery.

On this page you will find some useful information on causes and treatment options for a disc desiccation.

For more in-depth information go to FixMyDiscDisease.info or get a free copy of the back pain book

Disc Desiccation Definition

What is Disc Desiccation?

Between every two vertebrae (the bones of your spinal column) there is a flat jelly-like disc that acts as a cushion and great shock absorber. A disc desiccation is the result of the loss of fluid or dryness of the discs.

The term disc desiccation comes from the Greek word "diskos" (for disc) and the Latin word "desiccare" (to dry up).

Cause of Disc Desiccation

The main cause of a disc desiccation is the natural aging process. As we get older it is only normal that a part of the fluid from our discs goes away. Most people experience some degree of disc desiccation during their lifetime. A lot of patients of disc desiccation are 60 years of age and older.

Another cause of disc desiccation are repeated strains or injuries to the same back area as well as trauma. This is when the condition typically occurs to younger people. It of high importance to take a disc desiccation seriously as soon as you find out about it!

How Does Disc Desiccation Develop?

This Video Shows How Degenerative Disc Desiccation Develops

Disc Desiccation
by PhysicalTherapyTV | video info

3 ratings | 334 views
curated content from YouTube

Disc Desiccation Treatment

These Treatments Offer Some Pain Relief

There are a number of things you can do to alleviate the pain related to a disc desiccation. Talk to your doctor about the treatment options that come into consideration for you. These methods however usually do not give you lasting results.
  • Massage therapy - takes some pressure away from the affected area and helps relaxing the concerned muscles.
  • Physiotherapy - by using regular targeted exercises for stretching and strengthening as well as ice & heat therapies you help increase the flexibility in your body.
  • Medication - pain killers and relaxants provide at least some temporary relief. It is very essential that you the medication in consultation with your physician.
  • Weight Loss - If you are overweight there is a good chance that by losing some of the weight you take pressure away from the affected disc. Best way to do this is by doing a healthy diet combined with daily exercise (choose wisely though, some sports may just as good harm your back even more).
  • Chiropractic Care - many people claim that a visit to a chiropractor is an essential thing to do as part of any back pain treatment. Chiropractors help align your back by only using natural methods. They help releasing muscles by taking away uneven pressure and finding the correct posture of your back.
  • Surgery - this method should only be used if you experience severe pain and have already tried all other treatments. Think twice before you expose yourself to the risks of a back disc operation and also make sure you seek several medical opinions.




But These Treatments Only Offer Temporary Help

To get healthy for good you must treat the underlying root cause of the problem. Unfortunately, the treatments described above only offer temporary relief.

Here are some of the main reasons why:

1. medication only reduces the pain right now and has many side-effects,
2. physical therapists and chiropractors often miss the primary cause of your pain and
3. more than half of the back surgeries statistically fail!

In order to get lasting back pain relief you must find out and treat the root cause of the problem. Discover more on how to do this on FixMyDiscDisease.info.

FixMyDiscDisease.info

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  • reymos Apr 19, 2012 @ 3:52 am | delete
    Thanks for the info. Im experiencing this right now.
  • Safeking Apr 9, 2012 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    I am a 59 yo male with marked decrease in T1 and decreased in T-2 endplate changes also have L1-L2 right paracentral disc protusion with minimal narrowing of the lateral recesses. Same with all the others except L3-L4 shows broad based disc bulge and bilateral facet hypertrophy Severe bi lateral neural foraminimal narrowing. L4-L5 is post operative (about 15 years) bi lateral cage fusion. This was job related, what can I or what should I do. I am currently on pain medication regiment with Fentenyl 100mg.
  • DavidDove Aug 28, 2011 @ 3:18 pm | delete
    great resource, thank you
  • kriti Aug 2, 2011 @ 1:43 pm | delete
    I am 27 year old asian woman. i got MRI of LUMBo SACRAL SPINE and it Reads: -
    spinal canal is capacious
    dessicated disk is noted at l4/5 level
    mild diffuse diskal bulge at l4/5 level, effacing the anterior epidural fat & contoruing the thecal sac.
  • Elizabeth Goh Jul 13, 2011 @ 10:18 pm | delete
    I am a 49 year old Asian woman and my MRI on the slipped disc described "Large posterocentral protrusion with left paracentral extrusion at L5-S1 causing severe spinal canal stenosis and compression of the left S1 nerve root and in contact with the right S1 nerve root". I am not in pain but is suffering mild numbness on the left leg which causes me to limp a little. The surgeon has advised a keyhole surgery. I beg to differ as I think it is too drastic. Please advise that there is alternative treatment to allow me to walk normally. Thanks
  • sandi Jul 9, 2011 @ 1:51 pm | delete
    I am a 25 yoear old female and i was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease at 18. Who would have thought I have seeked all the treatments above except surgery. I have several herniated discs bacause of my comdition. Is there any other alternitive. Again Im only 25 i dont want to have surgery.
  • alyse Jan 20, 2012 @ 7:52 am | delete
    Have you looked into the DRX9000? It is non invasive spinal decompression. Works wonders for bulging and herniated discs.
  • veronica Apr 3, 2012 @ 8:51 pm | delete
    my daughter was diagnosed at 17 with osteoarthritis ,then at 20 yrs with anklosing spondylitis, another arthritis,she saw a rheumatologist and began embrel, then remicade infusions to try to stop progression of disease.she is now 25 yrs and has moved back to home town , but has not seen a doctor yet . what i am getting at is ,have you seen a rheumatologist?
  • Tamaka Ashcraft Jun 29, 2011 @ 8:51 pm | delete
    30 year old women with disc desiccation, who would have ever thought. Not me that's for sure. But after seeing a Chiropractor and making a few life adjustments I am a changed person. I have pain sometimes but if i set up straight and go to my Chiropractor appointments I do very well. You body is a machine, if you do not change the oil and repair problems right away it will get worse. Proper knowledge, food and exercise can change a body for the good.
  • doc Mar 30, 2012 @ 12:16 pm | delete
    Very True!!!
  • Gregory Fraser May 10, 2011 @ 11:50 am | delete
    A disc desiccation sounds extremely painful! A few years back, I haver had a DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement after some sports injury. I was happy that there weren't any major complications from the surgery. The only problem I am facing now are the possibilities of a recall for the Pinnacle device. I'm looking further into this at the DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit website.

    What do you think are the chances of a recall for the device?
  • dharshey12@yahoo.com Sep 10, 2010 @ 2:02 pm | delete
    i am a 47 yearold female who has done a lot of heavy and repettative work in my life i have had severe pain for years do to a shoulder injury that went on so long it cause me other severe problems that i still deal with today . i was sent to see a nuero dr. and further testing was done to rule out ms and to rule out i had a spinal tap which i was scared to have for years because i didnt want no more pain , thank goodness it was ruled out but unfortunitly i had fliud leaking which cause nausea and dizziness so i had to return for a blood patch which was to take 15 minutes the worst thing i have ever and still do experience even having 4 children i was given an explanation as to how it was to go and it did not go as told no muscle relaxer was given to me a trainee was there not only did i fill pain in my guts my organs i went into spasm in my leg and they had to take needle out and start again i had a iv taking blood from my arm which was to go into my spine they reinserted needle again as many times i i told them what they were doing and that i was cold and i was going to passout and throw up they kept going anyway saying your ok well apparently iwasnt and that god for the nurse i had she told them something was dropping really low apparently the dr took over and i felt a pop in side of neck he said i want her to be set up and returned to her room in 10 min well i couldnt set up i was in so severe pain i couldnt put my feet down i couldnt set on anything i had to get a wheelchair out of hospital and cried like a baby in pain for weeks i was off work i have been in pain ever since went back to drs complained i finally ask my dr. to do an mri before she left our practice they tell me i have dessicationL1-2 L2-3 L3-4 i do not sleep n the pain is horrible sometime i cant walk sit i dont even want to talk wwhen my drs office called me and told me this i ask her what it ment she said well that explains what happen to you why you had such pain and all because i never had this problems until the blood patch . i am tired of all the excuses and will now be going to to ortho surgeon in pittsburg praying they will help me get my life back any other suggestions
  • Tamaka Ashcraft Jun 29, 2011 @ 8:43 pm | delete
    Chiropractic and Physiotherapy is what I recommend. I have the same problem. I lost some weight and have done Chiropractic for 3 years. Get you machine (Body) in good health and it will heal itself.
  • Judith Sep 8, 2010 @ 10:14 am | delete
    I don`t agree with the above statement that physuiotherapists miss the cause of tdisc desiccation. In physiotherapy the patient is treated as a whole. Acomprehensive history is taken from the patient when they present with back pain. Based on this the therapist can determine the cause of desiccation. this morning my patient presented an MRI report
    whcich stated he had disc desiccation at L3-4 and L4-5. I gathered from simple history taking the he is livestock farmer who lifs 5 gallon pails of feed on a regular basis. He has been doing this for the past 10 years. Under your heading Causes of Dessication this 44 yearold patient clearly falls into the group of repeated strains. I spent 1hr teaching him about proper back care, good posture, appropriate postions for coitious, core strengthening and maintaining good body mechanics in all his activities of daily living. He in turn had to show me he understood what he learned and did actual demonstrations when needed. I take my back patients very seriously.
  • dharshey12@yahoo.com Sep 10, 2010 @ 2:09 pm | delete
    judith i posted my story and i also had a very repeated stain on my body but i didnt have the problem until i had a blood patch done in 11/2008 i have tried several things to help myself but i am very limited to keep myself from pain have you ever heard of something like this happing to someone i beleive they did this to me i felt everybit of the pain and still do today from my back to my feet it just depends but i filll better just not moving sometimes
  • Jason Dec 13, 2009 @ 2:05 am | delete
    32 year old male with multi-level cervical disc desiccation. Disc osteophyte and moderate severe foraminal stenosis at C5-C6. Left paracentral disc extrusion compressing the left C7 nerve and causing severe foraminal stenosis on the left at C6-C7. I have severe pain radiating down my left arm along with numbness throughout the arm. Constant pins and needles feeling in my thumb and forefinger. Muscle spasms randomly throughout arm, as well as, mild cramping in forearm. Slight loss of strength and stamina.

    My disc degeneration must be hereditary because I have not had any traumatic injuries to my neck. I am still searching for ways to fix this and stop the pain. Any suggestions would be great. I am told that surgery is probably my only option.

    Thanks,
    J
  • ann oclair Jun 9, 2010 @ 3:31 am | delete
    Have you checked on a device called a spinal cord stimulator, it could significabtly reduce your pain. It is a device about the size of a pacemaker which is implanted under your skin. It works by sending impulses (which you control with a remote control) to block the pain impulses. Usually this can be tried with a trial device for a few days. Be forwarned it is very expensive but has worked in a number of indiviuals
  • ritesh Dec 18, 2010 @ 6:43 am | delete
    if it only blocks pain impuls then it is useless, because it will not solve root problem.

    to releve pain one can use, homeopathic medicene. like.
    1. if u have severe nerve pain+cool application on affected portion releves then try (Ledum-CM) (4 tab *2 times)

    there are many others belladona-30 on red swelling, arnica-30 on muscle injury, ...........
  • Just asking Aug 13, 2010 @ 8:29 am | delete
    Have you seen a neurologist to rule out MS?
  • P Feb 22, 2011 @ 12:04 am | delete
    Have you tried the tens unit? You may get some relief with that ask your Dr to see if he will prescribe it on a trial basis to see if it helps
  • Irsh Mar 3, 2011 @ 1:01 am | delete
    HAVE YOU BEEN CHECKED FOR CARPAL TUNNEL IN THAT LEFT ARM?
  • RinchenChodron Nov 8, 2009 @ 8:36 am | delete
    I don't believe that this lens is in the top 100 in Health and NOT ONE reader comment! What's up with that? This lens has valuable information, thanks! Blessed by an Angel (you can add it to the plexo on my angel lens,
    if you want).
  • Yamilka Feliz Oct 28, 2009 @ 6:54 pm | delete
    35 years old female low back pain go to my left leg, L4-L5 disc bulge with central disc protrusion and disc annular tear
  • Lisa Aug 5, 2010 @ 3:43 am | delete
    Huh, I have a simialr injury but minus the disc annuar tear. I have dessication and the disc bulge in the same place. I am in sever pain and most pain meds don't work. How are they treating yours? Cause so far nothings worked for me and they don't want to do surgery since I'm only 27. I have numbness and weakness in my left leg but they can't figure out why because they say it isn't the back causing it.
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