There are many options to consider when beginning to receive treatment for spinal degenerative joint disease, which is another term for osteoarthritis of the spine. Degenerative joint disease is not a reversible condition, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t treatable. However, in order to find the right treatment plan for your specific situation, it’s important to work closely with your doctor. The following guidelines can help you better understand the treatment process and give you a better chance of finding the relief you deserve.

Things to keep in mind

Here is some general advice that can help ensure your degenerative joint disease treatment process has the best chance for success:

• Get a formal diagnosis. You need a qualified physician to confirm degenerative joint disease and ensure that another underlying degenerative spine condition isn’t to blame for your discomfort. This diagnostic process can also pinpoint the exact location of the issue, determine the extent of the arthritis and give you a clearer idea of how to find relief.
• Fully explore conservative treatment. Typically, degenerative joint disease treatment begins conservatively with a combination of nonsurgical techniques designed to help manage the symptoms of this condition. This treatment process can take several weeks to be effective and require a certain amount of trial and error but may help you avoid surgery. Common treatments include hot/cold compresses, anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and low-impact exercise.
• Be thorough if you do consider surgery. If you and your doctor determine that surgery is the most appropriate treatment for your degenerative joint disease, it’s still important to take your time and explore the surgical options available to you. Instead of a traditional open spine surgery performed in a hospital, minimally invasive outpatient procedures can also be performed to treat degenerative joint disease for patients who are candidates.

USA Spine Care

USA Spine Care is the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery. Since 2005 we have helped more than 60,000 patients find relief from neck or back pain with a streamlined, outpatient experience. If you are exploring surgery because a full course of conservative treatments has not brought you the relief you require, reach out to USA Spine Care today.

We offer a no-cost MRI or CT scan review* to help you determine if you are a potential candidate for one of our procedures.