CONDITIONS EXPLAINEDDegenerative Joint Disease
CONDITIONS EXPLAINEDDegenerative Joint Disease
Degenerative joint disease is a condition commonly affecting patients of advancing age. With time, the tissues cushioning the junction of the vertebrae lose water growing more brittle with time. These cushions are composed of a fibrous outer coat with a gel-like nucleus called the nucleus pulposus. When the joint has degenerated, the weakened walls of the fibrous capsule can tear open, out of which the nucleus pulposus will bulge causing pain, compression of local structures, and releasing inflammatory mediators that compound the compressive effects.
Though this is the most common presentation of degenerative joint disease, it may also occur secondary to a host of other factors such as:
- Injury, in which trauma affects the joint itself.
- Activity levels, especially in those that engage in activities with a higher rate of wear and tear, such as running, or commonly moving heavy objects.
- Lifestyle choices, including posture and good orthopedic hygiene.
- Obesity creates excessive pressure on underlying structures and will accelerate spinal conditions.
- Smoking has been shown to be associated with joint degeneration.
- Genetics often plays a role in making certain individuals more prone to failure of the joint.
- Concomitant Spinal Diseases can accelerate the degeneration of a joint.
Degenerative joint disease typically begins some time in the early 20s, but is usually clinically silent until the 60s to 70s. The process is gradual, and most will not experience any symptoms until this degeneration has advanced. Presentation most often starts with pain especially in the back, and may radiate down the buttocks into the legs. Additional symptoms include:
- Cervical pain
- Rigidness of the back, as if locked up
- Weakness of the lower extremities
- Pain that worsens when seated
- Loss of motion of the spine
Degenerative joint disease is a condition commonly affecting patients of advancing age. With time, the tissues cushioning the junction of the vertebrae lose water growing more brittle with time. These cushions are composed of a fibrous outer coat with a gel-like nucleus called the nucleus pulposus. When the joint has degenerated, the weakened walls of the fibrous capsule can tear open, out of which the nucleus pulposus will bulge causing pain, compression of local structures, and releasing inflammatory mediators that compound the compressive effects.
Though this is the most common presentation of degenerative joint disease, it may also occur secondary to a host of other factors such as:
- Injury, in which trauma affects the joint itself.
- Activity levels, especially in those that engage in activities with a higher rate of wear and tear, such as running, or commonly moving heavy objects.
- Lifestyle choices, including posture and good orthopedic hygiene.
- Obesity creates excessive pressure on underlying structures and will accelerate spinal conditions.
- Smoking has been shown to be associated with joint degeneration.
- Genetics often plays a role in making certain individuals more prone to failure of the joint.
- Concomitant Spinal Diseases can accelerate the degeneration of a joint.
Degenerative joint disease typically begins some time in the early 20s, but is usually clinically silent until the 60s to 70s. The process is gradual, and most will not experience any symptoms until this degeneration has advanced. Presentation most often starts with pain especially in the back, and may radiate down the buttocks into the legs. Additional symptoms include:
- Cervical pain
- Rigidness of the back, as if locked up
- Weakness of the lower extremities
- Pain that worsens when seated
- Loss of motion of the spine
Patient Animation VideoDegenerative Joint Disease
Experiencing Symptoms of Degenerative Joint Disease?
Detection & Diagnosis
When evaluating the possibility of a degenerative joint, a physician will typically order diagnostic tests to isolate the problem. The most common evaluations are:
OUTCOMESRelated
Treatments & Procedures
- Treatments
- Procedures
Degenerative Joint Disease minimally invasive therapies. Surgery is typically reserved for only the most intractable cases. Some of these less invasive procedures include:
- Lifestyle Changes – Exercise, weight loss.
- Physical Therapy – Specific stretches may reduce pain and aid in recovery, and better motions can be taught to prevent exacerbation of existing problems. In addition, strengthening core muscles helps to compensate for spinal insufficiency.
- Medication – Several pharmacological treatments exist for treatment, including the use of NSAIDs such as aspirin or ibuprofen, steroids for long term relief, and stronger narcotics for pain that does not respond to existing pain management. In the case of steroids, an injection is typically made at the problematic level, limiting inflammation for months at a time and facilitating recovery.
In cases where conservative treatments are inadequate, a number of procedures exist for the alleviation of symptoms. Even so, surgery is not without its risks, and there is always the chance that the condition may prove worse following surgery. Some such procedures routinely performed include:
- Discectomy involves removing part or all of a damaged disc to reduce compression of local structures.
- Spinal Fusion may be performed to stabilize a level from which a disc was removed by permanently fusing the vertebrae together.
- Artificial Disc Replacement replaces the damaged disc with prosthetic one, and is associated with fewer complications than spinal fusion especially in the neck.
Discectomy
The gold standard for relieving leg pain and numbness due to disc herniation. This procedure has a long history in spinal care, and most spinal surgeons are well versed in performing this surgery..
Spinal Fusion
Performed to fuse two vertebrae into a single structure. Spinal fusion is typically performed for spinal weakness, to correct deformity, or following the removal of a diseased intervertebral disc..
Artificial Disc Replacement
Artificial disc replacement is a procedure with the goal of removing a painful intervertebral disc and replacing it with a prosthetic one. Spinal fusion is much more commonly performed..
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