Degenerative Spine Disease is Treated at Mercy Medical Center

Degenerative spine disease is a general term that refers to conditions of the spinal column that result from the routine wear and tear placed on the bones and soft tissue of the spine. Added pressure to the neck and back can accelerate the disease.

What causes Degenerative Spine Disease?

Degenerative spine disease is not any one condition of the spine, but is a result of many types of diseases that can occur at the same time. Types of degenerative spine diseases include:

• Herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative disc disease

Degenerative spine disease affects the limbs, back and neck. Symptoms can include:

• Lower back pain that intensifies when sitting
• Back pain that increases when lifting, bending and rotating
• Certain movements like walking and jogging may feel better than sitting or standing
• Adjusting positions to ease pain

Neurologists will take a full medical history, perform a physical and may perform several tests to diagnose degenerative spine disease. The testing may include:

• Spinal X-ray
• MRI
• CT

Treatment options may vary for each patient to manage degenerative spine disease. Some patients may find relief with conservative treatment such as rest, physical therapy, decreasing physical activity and pain medicine. Others may require surgery. If surgery is needed, our neurologists work closely with spine surgeons at The Maryland Spine Center at Mercy.