Degenerative joint disease of the spine is also called spinal osteoarthritis, a condition that develops as the body wears down with age. It specifically affects the facet joints of the spine, which are sliding joints that allow the spine to move. These joints are covered in protective cartilage, but degenerative joint disease causes that cartilage to wear away, which inflames the joint and leads to painful symptoms that include stiffness, joint lockage and instability.

Since degenerative joint disease is a result of the natural aging process, there is not necessarily a way that you can stop its progression any more than you can stop the progression of aging. However, there are ways that you can help maintain better spine health as you age, including the following:

• Exercising. Core strength training to target all muscle groups, water-based exercises and cardio such as brisk walking and biking are great low-impact exercises that increase circulation to your spine to help deliver essential nutrients to tissues.
• Eating healthy. Maintain a healthy weight and opt for foods that ease inflammation, such as spinach, kale and other green leafy vegetables, berries, tomatoes, lean meats and fish, low-fat dairy products, eggs and other healthy sources of protein.
• Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol use. Cigarettes have toxins that prevent your tissues from absorbing the essential vitamins and nutrients they need.

If you have degenerative joint disease and it is beginning to diminish your quality of life, the professionals at USA Spine Care may be able to help. We are the leader in minimally invasive surgeries that are often clinically appropriate when compared to traditional open spine surgery.^ They require a less than 1-inch incision, incorporate muscle-sparing techniques, and can be done on an outpatient basis.

Contact the spine specialists at USA Spine Care to learn about how we treat patients with degenerative joint disease. We can help you receive a free MRI review,* which will allow us to determine whether you are a good candidate for the minimally invasive spine surgeries we offer.

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