Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Our spinal discs play an essential role in our spine. Nestled between vertebrae, these strong and flexible discs allow our spine and our body to move in different directions with ease. Because they handle a lot of stress when we move, these discs can gradually wear down over time as we get older. This natural degeneration occurs in every adult, but if this degeneration occurs too quickly or is expedited by injury or poor posture habits, the discs can wear down too far, causing pain and limiting comfortable movement.

Many patients with moderate to severe spinal disc degeneration that present to our office want to know what they can do to restore their spinal discs to a more functional state. And while disc restoration can be tricky, there are plenty of things you can do to provide a better environment in the spine for your discs to thrive. We talk more about spinal disc restoration and protection in today’s blog.

Restoring Lost Spinal Disc Height

Your spinal discs are similar to the cartilage in your knees in that your body can’t grow it back once it’s lost. This is the main reason why it’s so important to work to prevent disc height loss in the first place. But as we mentioned above, some disc degeneration is inevitable after decades of stress and strain. Surgery can artificially restore your disc height by inserting hardware that mimics the size and function of a healthy spinal disc, but you’re not going to be able to restore the disc to a healthy height using only conservative methods.

With that said, the goal here isn’t really to restore disc height as much as it is to provide a more ideal environment for your discs to operate. If you can take strain off the discs, you can slow or even stop the continued progression of disc degeneration, which can allow you to maintain function and flexibility now and in the future. But what are some of the best ways to create an ideal environment for your spinal discs? Some treatment recommendations we discuss with patients facing spinal disc degeneration include:

• Physical Therapy – Physical therapy can strengthen the muscles and tissues that support and stabilize your spine, in turn taking stress and strain off the spinal discs. PT is one of the best ways to target your core and other supportive muscles to protect your spinal discs.
• Weight Loss – Much of the stress that we put on our spine is from the weight of our body, so it stands to reason that if we work towards a healthier weight that our spine will be better off. Exercise and a healthy diet can promote ideal spine health, but it can also serve to be protective of your spine because these habits can help you lose excess weight that stresses your spine.
• Posture Improvements – We also put passive stress on our spine when we are out of a healthy alignment. It doesn’t matter if you’re standing or sitting, if you have poor posture, extra stress will be placed upon your spinal discs. Even if you don’t work a manual labor job, you can strain your spinal discs if you have poor seated posture at your desk.
• Rest/Activity Avoidance – Another way that you can work to protect your spinal discs is by steering clear of activities that serve to overload your back with stress. Repetitive movements and poor movement mechanics when bending, lifting and twisting can all erode your spinal discs faster than if you had ideal movement patterns. Working with a physical therapist or an athletic trainer can help you move ideally and avoid strenuous motion on your spine.

Treating Worn Spinal Discs

Many patients find that their symptoms improve greatly when they pursue a combination of these conservative treatments for an extended period, but if you’re still dealing with discomfort in spite of these changes, consult with a spine specialist in your area. They can take a closer look at your spine and discuss more hands-on treatment methods like corticosteroid injections or a minimally invasive corrective procedure. Whatever you need, Dr. Sinicropi and his team are here to help you find the right treatment course. For more information about protecting your spinal discs or treating spinal disc pain, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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