Degenerative Disc Disease and Nerve Impingement

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Jennifer Lopez

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My mom fell and hurt her back. So after 2 months of pain treatment they finally sent her for an MRI. The final comment in the report (after many paragraphs of "%&&$**&" says it's Degenerative Disc Disease and Nerve Impingement.

What is this in layman's terms and what are the treatment options
 
I think the standard treatment is to fuse the affected joints. So the key issue is how many of them are affected, 'cause you can't fuse them all.

Waited 2 months for an MRI after back injury...ouch.

Also, if I'm not mistaken this is likely to get pretty rough so I hope she has a good support system. Sorry.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doc...not even close.
 
HavocXphere said:
I think the standard treatment is to fuse the affected joints. So the key issue is how many of them are affected, 'cause you can't fuse them all.

Waited 2 months for an MRI after back injury...ouch.

Also, if I'm not mistaken this is likely to get pretty rough so I hope she has a good support system. Sorry.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doc...not even close.
Click to expand...

thanks for the information - i think two levels were affected - report is basically greek to me.

when you say it's going to get pretty rough - how do you mean?
 
Jennifer Lopez said:
My mom fell and hurt her back. So after 2 months of pain treatment they finally sent her for an MRI. The final comment in the report (after many paragraphs of "%&&$**&" says it's Degenerative Disc Disease and Nerve Impingement.

What is this in layman's terms and what are the treatment options
Click to expand...

Did the doctor explain to your mother everything properly? Did your mother ask the neccessary questions? Most doctors do not take the time to explain things properly. You Mother should demand the answers especially if she went to a Private Practitioner
 
Jennifer Lopez said:
when you say it's going to get pretty rough - how do you mean?
Click to expand...
Hmm, I don't really want to frighten you too much but by rough I meant lots of pain & lots of bills. People in such positions are also very vulnerable to substance abuse because they get easy access to opiate based painkillers.

Naturally, things can also go according to plan & everyone lives happily ever after. :)
 
Here is a good explanation:
http://video.about.com/backandneck/Degenerative-Disc-Disease.htm

I think treatment depends on the severity. I have a friend who had this and required surgery. They inserted a metal tube of somesort (ok, this is how it was explained to me, lol) that kept the spinal disks apart from each other thus relieving the pinching on the nerve.

Info here too:
http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spine-anatomy/spinal-cord-and-spinal-nerve-roots

Some treatment options (in the case of a disc hernia) are listed here:
http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/herniated-disc/lumbar-herniated-disc
 
thanks for all the info. & video.

it has helped me understand to some degree and thus i can explain to her to some degree.

her doctor's now referred her to a spine surgeon so i think she'll be in more capable hands - but it's a good idea to go with her - as thus far my dad's been and he's a softie too - so between the two they haven't had much in the way of information/education.

bills we can deal with - just hope the pain and agony diminishes quickly.
 
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