Degenerative joint disease describes the cartilage in the spine gradually wearing away as you get older, causing bones to grind against each other and bone spurs to develop in the spine. However, external factors such as traumatic injury, strenuous activity, gender, obesity and genetics can play a role in expediting this condition. To learn about the influence of genetics on degenerative joint disease, as well as the treatments for your condition, read the following article.

How genetics plays a role in degenerative joint disease

Your genes can impact the likelihood of developing degenerative joint disease earlier in life. If your family member has suffered from this debilitating condition, your chances can typically increase. To properly diagnose the cause of your condition, your doctor will ask you a series of questions about your medical history to learn if this condition is hereditary, followed by an MRI or CT scan, to determine the severity and precise location of your condition to come up with a treatment plan that works best for you.

Conservative treatments for degenerative joint disease

If you are experiencing pain and discomfort as a result of degenerative joint disease, conservative therapy may first be suggested prior to resorting to spine surgery. For instance, your doctor may recommend:

• Stretching exercises
• Physical therapy
• Heat massages
• Ultrasound therapy
• Pain medications
• Anti-inflammatories
• Cortisone injections
• Range of motion exercises

However, if your condition does not improve after several weeks or months of conservative therapy or your condition worsens, then surgery may become necessary.

Surgical treatments for degenerative joint disease

If you require surgery to treat your degenerative joint disease condition, then the minimally invasive spine surgery at USA Spine Care may be able to help. USA Spine Care is a safer and effective alternative to traditional open spine surgery, by offering no lengthy recovery and a lower risk of complication.^ If you are interested in learning about the procedures we offer for degenerative joint disease, contact our team so we can help you on your journey to wellness.

USA Spine Care is the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery and has helped more than 75,000 patients find relief from chronic neck or back pain. Through the use of a small incision that is muscle-sparing, our highly skilled surgeons are able to relieve your symptoms by removing the bone spurs and extra growths, or the entire vertebra, depending on the damage that is found. To find out if you are a candidate for our outpatient surgery, reach out to our team and ask for your no-cost MRI review* today.

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