Our spine contains discs between each of the vertebrae that serves as shock absorbers and prevents the rubbing of vertebrae against each other. With age, vertebral discs start to dry out, and that affects their performance including strength resiliency. When this occurs, the chances of degenerative disc disease become high, and it is known to affect the cervical spine in aging adults the most. Non-surgical treatment procedures are often found effective for the treatment of such conditions, but in rare cases, surgery may be required. Surgery might also require Ortho Implants.Before moving on to the treatment, let us start with what cervical disc degeneration disease is.

Cervical Disc Degeneration Disease

Cervical disc degeneration disease is the condition where one or more spinal discs present in the cervical spine start to degenerate/break due to wear tear. Age-related degeneration of cervical discs is more common while, in some people, genetics may also play a role in rapid wear tear of discs. Sometimes, an injury may also be the reason for the degeneration of discs.

How does Cervical Disc Degeneration Occur?

Aging is the most common cause of cervical disc degeneration. There are 6 discs in the cervical spine region. These discs have a tough, yet flexible outer layer and a soft interior filled with a gel-like substance known as nucleus pulposus. The nucleus of the discs provides them with their shock-absorbing property.

In children and young ones, the discs have about 85% of water and as we age, the water content becomes low. This is a natural process, and by 70, it is noticed that the water content drops to 70%. When this occurs, the cushioning property of the discs becomes weak, and they become more prone to cracks and breaks. Due to a lack of direct blood supply, damaged discs cannot heal on their own.

Risk Factors for Cervical Disc Degeneration Disease

Almost everyone can develop cervical disc degeneration disease with age, but still, there are certain risk factors associated with the condition:

Genes

Genetics play a big role in determining when cervical disc degeneration occurs and how painful it will be or not.

Obesity

Overweight people are more prone to developing this condition, and it may occur earlier in them than in others.

Smoking

Consumption of tobacco is the biggest factor for the occurrence of numerous orthopedic conditions, and cervical disc degeneration disease is one of them.

Treatment of Cervical Disc Degeneration Disease

If severe pain persists in the cervical region, self-care and/or non-operative treatment methods are often found effective in managing the pain.

Taking a bit of rest after working for a long time and certain lifestyle changes are highly effective in easing pain. A healthy diet is important too. Besides all these, the doctor will also prescribe some pain-relieving medicines or injections for quick relief. In most cases, heat or ice therapy also offers good relief.

Above all, targeted exercise and physical therapy will also be important in maintaining the strength and flexibility of the neck.

In rare severe cases where all the above-mentioned treatment methods fail to relieve the condition, the doctor may recommend surgical intervention. Surgery might involve removal of the problematic disc and application of a bone graft or a metal device. Some surgical procedures may involve the replacement of a damaged disc with an artificial metal disc.

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