is degenerative disc disease fatal?

Answer 1

First Degenerative Disc Disease is not actually a Disease but part of the aging process. After the age of 30 your Discs the nice fluid filled spacers between your vertebrae start to dry up. Now providing you can protect your spine as in learning how to lift correctly, how to carry your posture, then the disc will eventually dehydrate and becomes solid plates between the vertebrae. If Arthritis sets in and you remain immobile chances are the vertebra will then fuse. The problems as I have learned I have DDD which is normal, but I have damaged one of my discs. The outer thick layer has ruptured and the inner jelly is protruding out and when that hits the nerve roots, I loose everything below my waist. Four weeks ago it happened I passed out with the pain and came too three hours later. Thankfully I had my legs and bowel and bladder function. Depending on what disc is damaged depends on what nerve roots are affected and what parts of the body are at risk. However the most common area is the Lumbar Spine as that takes the strain from being upright, walking all the years. I am now at risk from loosing both my legs and my bowel and bladder function. They will not operate due to preexisting Arthritis. Therefore if I do loose my legs, just say the jelly jumps out and cuts the nerve roots and bowel and bladder, then I am looking at life as a wheelchair user, with serious incontenience, bowel and bladder. They have told me this is classed as emergency surgery and they will then go in and remove the disc, but cannot guarantee I will get my legs or other functions back.
I assume due to immobility and incontenience my life expectatncy will be reduced.
However DDD is not fatal just part of the normal ageing process and we will all have DDD after the age of 30!

Answer 2

It's not too bad. Hopefully the ESI will give you some relief. It may take up to 3 to get the maximum effect, but not needed. Just one might do the trick. I won't lie to you, they do hurt some, as any needle would. You will have to have someone to drive you to the procedure and back home. It is also recommended that you take it easy for at the least 24-36 hours after your injection. How do I know, I am 42, have herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and OA, at C4-5, C6-7 & T1-2, also at L3-4 & L5-S1. Have had many, many ESI's at all of the above locations with very good results(well, in the beginning they did). I say that because I have been getting ESI's for the last 8+ years. Its like my body has gotten use to them. I currently take 900mg Neurontin, 3 times a day. Daypro(NSAID) 600mg, twice a day and Skelaxin 800mg 3 times a day. I have a very, very low tolerance for MOST pain meds, they don't/won't stay down, lucky me. Good luck and I hope you have good results. Oh yeah, make sure that the doc who is doing the injection is using Floroscopy during the procedure. A floroscopy is a x-ray machine that helps guide the location of the injection.

Answer 3

No it's not "fatal" my mom has it. However, it can be debilitating if not treated. My mom has had a total of three surgeries which were very delicate because of course they were working in such close proximity to her spine. This is a woman who used to walk ten miles a day. Now, she is lucky if she can make it to the mail box and often requires a wheel chair when going shopping or out of the house. So, no, I don't believe it's fatal but it definatley has significantly reduced her quality of life.

Answer 4

i am not sure but if i know ithurt so much, have a friend who have it and the thing its gets worse as years past by

Answer 5

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