Symptoms of degenerative disc disease
Although everyone experiences some amount of disc degeneration as they age, not everyone will have symptoms. A person is said to have degenerative disc disease if they experience some of the following symptoms due to breakdown of spinal discs:
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Pain that worsens when sitting, bending, lifting or twisting
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Pain that improves when walking or running
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Pain that improves when lying down or changing positions often
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Periods of pain that come and go. Can range from nagging to disabling.
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Numbness and tingling in the extremities
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Weakness in the leg or foot drop (difficulty lifting the front part of the foot)
Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment Options in Arizona
Are you looking for help for degenerative disc disease in Phoenix? We explore below the options for degenerative disc disease pain relief:
Non-surgical
Pain and anti-inflammatory medications, chiropractic, steroid injections, back braces, electrical stimulation and heat or ice therapy can all help ease symptoms. In many cases, in our clinic in Arizona, degenerative disc disease treatment options that are non-surgical in nature have led to great success.
Physical therapy focuses on strengthening certain muscles that will stabilize the spine and allow the disc to heal.
Certain lifestyle modifications, such as losing weight, quitting smoking and adjusting your posture can also reduce stress on the damaged disc and slow further degradation. Collectively these lifestyle changes coupled with our treatment for degenerative disc disease pain relief in Phoenix or at any of our other centers in Arizona can help you get rid of chronic back pain and discomfort.
Surgical
If more conservative efforts don’t bring relief, Dr. Baig, one of the best doctors for degenerative disc disease in Arizona, may recommend one of two surgical options. During disc replacement surgery, he will remove the damaged disc and replace it with an artificial disc. Alternatively, Dr. Baig may perform a discectomy (disc removal) with spinal fusion to provide strength and stability to the spine.
Dr. Baig is skilled and experienced in several forms of disc replacement and spinal fusion surgery, including the less invasive lateral access spinal fusion surgery. Dr. Baig will only recommend surgery if he is confident it will bring relief.
Desert Spine Arizona Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment Options
At the Desert Spine and Scoliosis Center, we’re committed to providing exceptional patient care that is rooted in a conservative approach to the management and treatment of all conditions of the spine.
Dr. Rafath Baig, M. D. – one of the best doctors for degenerative disc disease in Phoenix – believes in patient education so they can make the best healthcare decisions that are best suited to their needs. Moreover, whether it is degenerative disc disease or any other condition, he has subspecialty training and rigorous experience coupled with expertise to help eliminate your chronic back pain.
We understand that chronic back pain can be debilitating and put your life on hold. Above all we don’t believe that surgery is always the best solution and nor do we believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare delivery. Therefore, to bring complete relief to our patients, we recommend only the best treatment solutions that are based on their unique situation.
If you’re suffering from degenerative disc disease, it’s time to find out what your options are. Contact us to schedule an appointment or to request your free MRI review with Dr. Baig.
WE DIAGNOSE THE ROOT
Chronic back pain can be debilitating and leave you feeling hopeless. When Craig wasn’t getting the care he felt he deserved, he reached out to Dr. Baig to get the help he needed.
Unfortunately, this is a common problem: People suffering from back pain see a doctor, get diagnosed with some type of “chronic” condition, obtain a prescription and perhaps go to a few physical therapy appointments. They feel a bit better for a time, but the root of the problem is never diagnosed or properly treated. This is how back pain can become chronic, and this is why people ultimately seek the help of Desert Spine and Scoliosis center, expert back surgeons in Phoenix.
Dr. Baig, one of the most respected back surgeons in Phoenix, helped Craig identify his problem by relying on his years of expertise as a spine specialist in Phoenix. With the proper treatment, Craig’s condition improved and he was able to get back into life without the terrible pain that had dragged him down for so long. This is what patients should reasonably expect from our team of Phoenix spine surgeons.
Get maximum relief with minimal risk
MINIMALLY INVASIVE
SPINE PROCEDURES
ENDOSCOPIC
SPINE SURGERY
STEREOTACTIC
SPINE PROCEDURES
NON-SURGICAL
TREATMENT OPTIONS
SUCCESS STORIES
For an active 39 year old who participates in Jiujitsu, having a spinal fusion would not have been the right thing for her. We were able to get her back on the mat after a successful disc replacement and she is back living her life
NO MORE BACK PAIN!
For an active young mom, having a spinal fusion was out of the question.
She was back in the gym THE SAME DAY after she had an Endoscopic Decompression. Dr. Baig and is living life
PAIN FREE!
This personal trainer got a cervical disc replacement.
She was able to avoid a fusion, keep her her range of motion, and get back
into the gym
PAIN FREE!
WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAY
We wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to our patients who take the time to leave a review about their experience at our practice.
Your kind words and feedback are greatly appreciated by our entire team, and your review helps other patients make an informed decision about where to turn to for care.
Thanks again for sharing your experience with others. You are making a difference.
T.M. ~ Actual Patient
"Dr Baig and his team are phenomenal. I had a compressed nerve due to a bulging disc and was able to be seen relatively quickly. Surgery was quick and flawless and I have no complaints at all. I truly appreciated how fast they worked to get me seen and out of all the pain I was in! Highly recommend them."
A.H. ~ Actual Patient
"Dr Baig literally changed my life for the better. I had a severely pinched nerve in my neck and needed to get surgery. Immediately at my first consult I felt comfortable and in good hands. I even walked away with a smile on my face during that scary time.
Surgery day couldn’t have gone better. The team he had also had a great bedside manner and helped keep me calm.
After the surgery and in the recovery room, he came in and checked on me and made sure I was all good before releasing me."
S.D. ~ Actual Patient
"Dr Baig was going to be my second opinion for an upcoming scheduled spinal surgery. After my appointment, he will be my surgeon. He gave me a lot of information that was lacking from my other doctors. I felt very comfortable with Dr Baig and his entire office staff. Looking forward to living pain free after we strengthen my bones. It’s going to be a permanent fix and not a bandaid."
Consult Our Back Surgeons in Phoenix
Back pain can often be a result of an accident, injury, or congenital conditions such as scoliosis. Certain forms of back pain can be a result of the natural aging process, including conditions such as disc protrusion and spinal stenosis.
Today, advancements in imaging, and non surgical techniques have led to more treatment options than ever before, allowing us to return our patients the life they once knew…usually without the need for invasive spine surgery.
Typically, back surgeons in Phoenix offer one type of help, even though there are many others available. When you work with Dr. Baig at the Desert Spine and Scoliosis Center, you can rest assured that everything is on the table when it comes to potential treatments that are accepted by the medical world.
CONTACT US
LOCATIONS
Conservative care you can trust, with multiple locations in the valley!
Just how ‘minimal’ is minimally invasive spine surgery?
Book your appointment today and we'll be happy to educate you!
As a top-rated spine specialist, Dr. Baig understands that this complicated part of the body can lead to many different problems, and each possibility will be considered before deciding on a treatment protocol.
Get answers, get help, get back to a better quality of life––schedule an appointment today.
What causes degenerative disc disease?
Spinal discs are composed of a fibrous outer layer filled with a jellylike nucleus. When we are born, our discs have about 80% water, and they provide effective cushioning between our vertebrae as we go about our daily activities.
As we age, the discs start to dehydrate and don’t absorb shock as well. Participation in sports, spinal injuries, and even normal daily activities over time can also cause small tears to form in the outer layer of the disc. Sometimes the material making up the nucleus of the disc seeps out.
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Arizona Degenerative Disc Disease Doctor
Degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae of the spine is inevitable– it’s part of the aging process. But when this normal breakdown causes pain and other symptoms, it is known as degenerative disc disease.
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