How Chiropractic Treatment Helps With Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is commonly caused by aging, although genetics and trauma to the spine can contribute. Around 40% of people at age 40 have some DDD, increasing to 80% by age 80.

At Advantage Spinal Dynamics & Innovative Medicine in Meridian, Idaho, our team of experienced medical practitioners can deliver chiropractic care for lower back pain, including pain caused by early-stage DDD.

When is chiropractic treatment appropriate for DDD?

As long as the doctor in charge of your care for degenerative disc disease says you’re cleared for it, chiropractic adjustment is generally safe for patients with early-stage DDD. The spine should be relatively stable, with no deeply herniated discs or major nerve involvement.

If you haven’t yet been formally diagnosed with DDD, our team can review your medical history and order scans to determine how much damage has been done and how far degeneration has progressed. In many cases, chiropractic treatment is still an option.

Your chiropractor manipulates your spine to improve the alignment of the bones and discs. This can help relieve pain from degenerative disc disease, and improve mobility and flexibility. 

However, chiropractic treatment simply isn't an option for some patients with DDD.

This is the case for patients with advanced degeneration who are experiencing extreme pain and/or showing symptoms of major nerve damage, such as neuropathy (pain, itching, burning, or numbness of the legs or feet) or incontinence.

Chiropractic treatment specific to DDD

Our goal is to help patients with degenerative disc disease by improving their joint mechanics. 

We accomplish this by improving spinal motion and reducing inflammation, and enhancing the function of the intervertebral discs in cases where degeneration hasn’t advanced too far to prevent treatment.

Spinal joints that are restricted or have abnormal movement such as rotation may benefit from spinal manipulation using a thrusting technique. 

For patients with herniated discs or spinal stenosis, your chiropractor may use a non-thrusting technique known as flexion-distraction instead. Another option is instrument-assisted manipulation, which allows gentle force to be applied in a specific location.

We also use massage therapy techniques to help loosen tightness and relieve pain caused by DDD. You might benefit from trigger point therapy to relieve tension or gentle joint stretching and resistance techniques to reduce pain and improve flexibility. 

Therapeutic massage can help minimize muscle tension caused by tensing due to spinal pain. 

In addition to chiropractic manipulation, we may recommend other specialized services for low back pain, including decompression therapy, mechanical traction, red light laser therapy, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

To learn more about chiropractic care for degenerative disc disease, call the Advantage Spinal Dynamics office today or request your appointment online.