What should people avoid with degenerative disk disease? People with degenerative disk disease should avoid slouching and a sedentary lifestyle. They should also refrain from exercise or activities that are high impact or involve heavy lifting. Many people experience lower back pain due to degenerative disk disease.
Someone seeking traditional medical treatment for C5-C6 disc bulging is often looking to remedy the pain and discomfort disrupting their daily life. This treatment will likely involve being prescribed medication such as steroids for inflammation, injections, physical therapy, disc surgery, or spinal-fusion surgery.
Try walking, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and stretching. Lifting heavy weights or running marathons might not be a good idea if you have significant disc degeneration or many DDD symptoms.
The degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine usually involves the most mobile segment that is the C5-C6 followed by C6-C7 and C4-C5 disc levels. The degeneration causes decreased water content of the disc or desiccation which leads to tears in the outer ring or the annulus fibrosus.
Degenerative disc disease isn't actually a disease, but rather a condition in which a damaged disc causes pain. This pain can range from nagging to disabling. The condition can be caused by the drying out of the disc over time, daily activities, sports and injuries.
From C5 and C6, the upper and lower subscapular nerves supply the upper and lower portions of the subscapularis. The lower subscapular nerve also innervates the teres major.
Degenerative disc disease
Sleeping on the stomach is typically preferred, as this position can relieve pressure on the disc space. People with degenerative disc disease may feel most comfortable using a relatively firm mattress while placing a flat pillow under the stomach and hips.
The most common symptoms of degenerative disk disease are neck pain and back pain. You may experience pain that: Comes and goes, lasting for weeks or months at a time. Leads to numbness or tingling in your arms or legs.
Symptoms may occur on one or both sides of the body. An injury to the spinal cord at the C5-C6 level may cause pain, weakness, or paralysis in the arms and/or legs. There may be loss of bowel and bladder control or breathing problems in some cases.
Degenerated discs are frequently more painful when an individual is sitting, especially if he or she is slumped forward putting more pressure on the lower back. Sitting upright in an ergonomic chair that provides low back support for the natural curve in the lumbar region can prevent irritating discs.
While there is no way to totally correct degenerative disc disease, for the vast majority of people suffering low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, or arm pain and tingling due to this condition, they can successfully manage their pain and regain their lives – while avoiding surgery.
What is the best sleeping position for neck pain? Two sleeping positions are easiest on the neck: on your side or on your back. If you sleep on your back, choose a rounded pillow to support the natural curve of your neck, with a flatter pillow cushioning your head.
C5 provides sensation to the upper part of your upper arm down to your elbow. Cervical nerve 6 controls the extensor muscles of your wrist and is involved in the control of your biceps. C6 provides sensation to the thumb side of your forearm and hand.
The recovery time for C5-C6-C7 neck treatments is about 4 to 6 weeks. Full recovery may take months. You can shorten your recovery by maintaining a proper lifestyle and cooperating with your doctor.
When a bulging or herniated disc occurs in the C5-C6 region, it can cause sharp pain that radiates from the neck to the shoulder, arms, hands, and fingers. It can also lead to muscle weakness, numbness, spasms, headaches, and neck stiffness. There may also be a cracking or popping sound when moving the neck.
It develops when one or more of the cushioning discs in the cervical spine starts to break down due to wear and tear. There may be a genetic component that predisposes some people to more rapid wear. Injury may also accelerate and sometimes cause the development of the degenerative changes.
Patients with C5 or C6 radiculopathy complain of shoulder area pain or shoulder girdle weakness. Typical idiopathic neuralgic amyotrophy (INA) is also characterized by severe shoulder pain, followed by paresis of shoulder girdle muscles.
Sleeping on your back: This is the optimal sleeping position as it is the easiest to properly brace your head and position your neck. It is important, however, to find a pillow that reinforces the curvature of your neck, while using a flatter pillow to pad your head for comfort.
Treatment of the C5-C6 spinal motion segment typically begins with nonsurgical methods. In cases where the neck pain and other symptoms do not improve with nonsurgical treatments, or if the health of a nerve root or the spinal cord worsens, surgery may be considered.
The C5-C6 spinal disc and spinal joints (facet joints) are the most mobile neck joints, and all that mobility can cause them to wear out prematurely. C5-C6 slipped discs, facet syndrome, degeneration, and information is avoidable, treatable, and to a certain extent reversible without steroid injections or surgery.
The greatest indicator of degenerative disc disease is a constant, chronic pain that then flares up with great intensity. You can feel this in your cervical (neck) or lumbar (lower back) region. These flare ups can be caused by a simple action, such as bending over to tie your shoes, or twisting.
Consider over-the-counter medications to fight inflammation or prescription medications for pain. Consider physical therapy to strengthen your neck and back muscles (which help to support your spine) Practice back-friendly postures including lifting safely and using good posture when sitting, standing, and walking.
Massage therapy is a great way to reduce muscle tension and alleviate pain and other symptoms caused by DDD. Using therapeutic massage, practitioners can apply carefully targeted pain and tension relief where patients need it the most.