Degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) is a degenerative condition that can impact the cushioning cartilage that coats the facet joints, or the joints that link the bones of the spine and provide flexibility. As the body ages, this cartilage begins to wear away, causing bone-on-bone contact that can trigger pain, inflammation, stiffness and other unpleasant symptoms.

What causes degenerative joint disease?

As you can imagine, degenerative joint disease can be a frustrating problem to live with. You may be curious to know what causes this problem and how you can avoid these behaviors. Unfortunately, degenerative joint disease is often simply a byproduct of the body’s natural — and inevitable — aging process. Adults over the age of 50 will begin to experience some level of spinal degeneration as years go by.

With all this said, there are certain habits and factors that can accelerate the degenerative process and cause symptoms to develop sooner and with more intensity. These include:

• Being overweight
• Sustaining one or more traumatic injuries
• Playing contact sports or participating in high-impact exercise
• Having a genetic disposition to spinal conditions
• Smoking cigarettes

Likewise, healthy habits like engaging in regular low-impact exercise, quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet and maintaining an ideal weight can help preserve your spinal health and keep you feeling your best longer.

Degenerative joint disease treatment

Many patients are able to effectively manage their degenerative joint disease symptoms by implementing healthy lifestyle habits and following a physician-designed conservative treatment plan. However, surgical treatment may be clinically appropriate for some patients with more severe symptoms that do not respond to nonsurgical methods.

USA Spine Care performs minimally invasive outpatient procedures that are a safer and effective alternative to traditional open spine operations.^ To learn if you are a candidate for treatment at one of our world-class surgery centers, please ask our team how to receive a free MRI review.*

Contact USA Spine Care to discover more about our minimally invasive approach to treating degenerative joint disease symptoms.

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