Degenerative disc
disease, which can include desiccation of disc, could be extremely painful. This condition
could cause pain that is either mechanical in nature or inflammatory in nature.
While mechanical pain will be the result of the compression of nerve roots when
there is disc space compression or herniation, inflammatory pain will be the
result of a release of chemicals that end up irritating nerve endings.
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To learn about what
can cause degenerative disc disease, continue reading. And if you start
experiencing any symptoms of this condition, be sure to see your doctor for
prompt treatment.
Aging
Degenerative disc
disease is often the result of the typical changes that occur within the spinal
discs as you get older. In other words, it is a condition that could result
simply because of natural aging.
Basically, when you
are born, the intervertebral discs in your spine are composed of roughly 80%
water, most of which is found within the nucleus pulposus. They are also composed
of proteins and collagen. The fluid provides shock absorption so you can move
around pain-free. As you get older, though, your discs will end up losing that
water content, and they might even get thinner. As a result, the shape and strength of the
discs will be changed, and you will eventually feel pain along with other
symptoms.
Genetics
As is the case with so
many other medical conditions, your genetics may also play a role in your odds
of developing degenerative disc disease. In other words, your genes might end
up increasing or decreasing your risk of eventually being diagnosed with this
problem. For example, if you are predisposed to developing excessive disc and
joint wear and tear, your odds of having degenerative disc disease at some
point in your life will be higher. And if someone else in your family either
has or has had degenerative disc disease, it is possible that you may also
develop it at some point as well.
Injury
Another one of the
common causes of degenerative disc disease is injury or some other form of
trauma. If you hurt your back through an acute and sudden injury that causes a
herniated disc, as an example, you may end up developing this condition. So
even just falling and hurting your back has the potential to start this process
of degeneration in your spine.
Lifestyle
Your lifestyle could
also play a part in whether or not you end up with degenerative disc disease.
For example, if you smoke, your habit could be doing harm to the discs in your
spine, causing faster degeneration while reducing the amount of water that is
found within them.
With a better
understanding of what degenerative disc disease is, what causes it, and what
you can do every day to try to prevent it, you can take more control over the
health of your spine. Although this condition may arise because of age, taking
care of your back, being gentle with your body, and leading a healthy lifestyle
might help to reduce the odds that you will end up with pain and less mobility
as you get older.
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