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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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Spine and Back Health |
DEGENERATIVE DISK DISEASE01/04/2001 |
I HAVE 2 HERNIATED DISKS AND WAS JUST TOLD I HAVE DEGENERATIVE DISK DISEASE. CAN YOU TELL ME MY BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. I AM 43 YRS OLD AND I WOULD LIKE TO START TAKING BETTER CARE OF MYSELF CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY VITAMINS OR SUPPLEMENTS I SHOULD BE TAKING.
It is not clear if your herniated and degenerated disks are in your low back or neck. Unfortunately, the 40`s is a common time to develop these changes in the disks, esp. if you perform heavy physical labor or have a strong family history of "bad backs". While there is no magic cure for this, or specific exercises that will prevent further deterioration, there are some basic, helpful things to do. These include avoiding improper lifting positions with the low back, try to get to the best weight for your size and age, quit smoking, if you smoke, and try to walk ( or other non-contact aerobic exercise - like swimming, or stationery bike - upright or recumbent) regularly to strengthen your muscles and cardiovascular system. Careful back and abdominal muscle strengthening and limbering exercises can be useful. Also make sure you have good back support for prolonged sitting and be careful if your job requires frequent bending, stooping, lifting. If your job has heavy demands that are unavoidable, you may need to think about retraining for a different kind of job or work. A physiatrist ( PM&R doctor) or other spine specialist could advise you further based on more complete medical information. Good Luck!!
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James Plunkett, MD Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehab. Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
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