TEXAS
BACK INSTITUTE: WHAT IS
DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE?
April 30, 2006
If you
have been diagnosed with
degenerative disc disease, you
probably have questions about
how much worse it will get, if
you should restrict your
activities and sports, or if it
will cause damage to other parts
of your spine.
“While you may be relieved to
have a name to go with the pain,
you may be worried about this
life-long, potentially
debilitating disease.
Fortunately, the name
‘degenerative disc disease’ is
not a true picture of the
problem,” said
Rey Bosita, M.D., spine surgeon
with the Texas Back Institute.
Some common misconceptions about
degenerative disc disease
include:
"Degenerative" does mean it can
get worse with age; however, the
pain can either get better or
worse over time.
"Disease" is a misnomer. It's
actually not contagious. The
condition occurs when the disc
is damaged, either through
trauma or overuse.
All people show changes in their
discs consistent with
degeneration as the get older,
but not all people develop
symptoms.
Confusion also exists because
there is little agreement among
medical professionals as to what
the term "degenerative disc
disease" actually refers to. It
can refer to almost any
condition that causes back pain.
Artificial disc replacement is
one of the options available to
treat degenerative disc disease.
These artificial discs mimic a
natural disc and help maintain
motion while relieving pain. In
the past, fusion surgery was
used to treat degenerative disc
disease, but artificial disc
replacement is now offering new
hope to patients.
“TBI was the lead investigator
during the FDA trial for the
CHARITE Artificial Disc. We have
done more disc replacement
surgeries than any other
practice in America. The
artificial disc is now approved
for use, and we are proud to
offer it to our patients at TBI,”
said Bosita.
He adds, “There are several
other discs currently under FDA
investigation and TBI is working
to bring these options to
patients as well.”
Texas Back Institute, Plano,
Texas: As one of the nation's
largest spine clinics, the Texas
Back Institute is the expert in
solutions for back pain. For
additional information, visit
the Texas Back Institute website
at www.texasback.com
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