8 Behaviors Increasing Degenerative Disc Disease Risk

     Degenerative disc disease can affect anyone, regardless of age. If we don't start caring for our bodies today, the risk remains. Our doctors want to highlight 8 common risk behaviors that, if recognized early, can be mitigated.

Warning Signs of Degenerative Disc Disease

1.  Pain Impairing Daily Life

     The body signals dysfunction through chronic back pain. Spinal discs lose flexibility due to reduced fluid content, causing pain with every movement. This marks the early stage, starting as intermittent pain before becoming constant.

2.  Radiating Pain or Numbness

     As the disease progresses to a moderate stage, patients may experience pain radiating from the neck to the arms (cervical discs) or from the lower back to the legs and feet, accompanied by numbness (lumbar discs). This occurs as the disc ruptures or protrudes, compressing and inflaming nerves.

3.  Muscle Weakness

     Muscle weakness in the arms or legs can impair walking or grasping objects. In some cases, it co-occurs with spinal stenosis, limiting walking distance.

4.  Difficulty Controlling Bowel/Bladder Function

     After prolonged nerve compression, patients may experience issues with bowel or bladder control due to severe nerve degeneration. This requires medical attention within 48 hours.

Read more: What is Degenerative Disc Disease? Stages and Treatment.

8 Behaviors Increasing Degenerative Disc Disease Risk

1.  Prolonged Static Sitting

     Sitting in the same position for extended periods puts excessive pressure on spinal discs, accelerating their degeneration. Change your posture every 15-30 minutes to prevent this.

2.  Improper Lifting

     Lifting heavy objects or using incorrect lifting techniques overstresses the spine, leading to disc degeneration or injury.

3.  High-Impact Exercise

     While exercise is beneficial, overly strenuous, unsuitable, or unprepared workouts can harm the body. Always prepare your body appropriately for the type of exercise to prevent injuries and reduce disc degeneration.

4.  Lack of Exercise

     Insufficient exercise leads to weak muscles, reducing their ability to support the spine and absorb impact. This directly stresses the discs, causing more degeneration than in individuals with strong muscles. Exercises that build strength and flexibility, like yoga and Pilates, can mitigate this issue.

5.  Aggressive Twisting or Turning

     Aggressive twisting or turning, especially with pre-existing chronic back pain, can damage spinal discs. Consult a specialist if you experience severe pain.

6.  Prolonged Heavy Carrying

     Consistently carrying heavy loads for extended periods places repeated, abnormal pressure on the spine, accelerating disc degeneration.

7.  Smoking and Alcohol Consumption

     Smoking not only damages overall health but also degrades collagen, a component of spinal discs, leading to reduced flexibility and increased injury risk. Both smoking and alcohol impair the body's calcium absorption efficiency.

8.  Excessive Body Weight

     Studies show that obese individuals are more prone to degenerative disc disease. Excess weight around the midsection burdens the spine during all movements, accelerating disc degeneration prematurely.

Comprehensive Healthcare from Our Physicians

     "Meeting every need, expert in every care" is Ramkhamhaeng Hospital's guiding principle, now and in the future. We are ready to embrace you through illness and help you regain strength with comprehensive, specialized medical care, offering hope for you to embrace each new day with happiness once again.