Degenerative Disc Disease Support Group

Degeneration of the intervertebral disc, which is often called "degenerative disc disease" (DDD) of the spine, DDD is in fact a condition that can be painful and can greatly affect the quality of one's life. While disc degeneration is not a normal part of aging and for most people is not a problem, for certain individuals a degenerated disc can cause severe constant...

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Dixe4me 09/18/2011

I feel silly in a way for asking this, I don't know exactly how bad my DDD is. I was told by a chiro that I had. Since I do not have insurance I have not gone to get costly exrays ect. ....besides, at this stage there is nothing they can do. But.....it is getting worse. It is in my lower back. I do ok most days as long as I don't do any bending. My problem is that I have started having a lot of trouble sitting. Benches at church are killers! My tail bone will hurt for days on end if I sit in one of those benches for mere hour.
Has anyone else had this problem? any suggestions on what to do? Pillows are no help at all!

deleted_user 09/19/2011

LOADS of us have this. In fact EVERY ADULT in the world has some degree of it. DDD is just the drying out of the discs -- when that happens the discs tend to flatten and that makes them bulge or herniate. That's what causes the pain.

The WORST thing you can do is go to a Chiropractor, since you don't have any MRI's or CT-scans. Just a little manipulation could put you in a wheelchair, since you don't REALLY know the extent of the damage in your spine.

There isn't much we can do about the DDD, since it's a progressive problem. You might try icing your back -- use ice for 20 minutes every 2 hours --- that will help with the pain. At first it hurts more to use the ice but after a minute or so, it starts to feel better. Do NOT use heat -- if you have any swelling in there, the heat will make it worse, thus increasing the pain.

Try stretching in the morning before you get up --- do some gentle stretches -- that helps "warm up" the body, and loosen things up. I wish you the very best -- and as soon as you can swing it, get an MRI with and without contrast material, so you can find out exactly what's wrong. Best of luck & God bless. Hugs, Lee

jennafur 09/19/2011

I cannot sit either. I have to use a giant foam pillow and take it with me everywhere i go and even then I usually can't sit for more than 30 mins. An MRI showed desiccation of discs and a protruding disc/tear at the L4/L5 level. I wouldn't see a chiro either.

I cannot do any bending either. I do stretches in the morning, my physio has me on a program to strengthen my back with some gentle exercises. I get dry needling done once a week on my back, I try to go swimming. I get cortisone injections every 3 months.

But it still hurts and i need my heat pack everyday.

Dixe4me 09/19/2011

Thanks for your replies......

Leeall, I don't think I can stand the ice. Cold makes me hurt so much worse.....I also have Fibro. Cold and I do not get along! I will try stretching though.

Jennafur, sounds like I am in for a trip:( I was hoping the progression of this disease would be much slower than what it is.

I've thought about one of those donut pillows......has anyone tried one ?

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