Degenerative disc disease

[tigerblossom55]

Hi everyone. I’m only 18 and was diagnosed with ddd about five months ago. The pain has gradually gotten worse. I work on my feet about 30-38 hours per week and it seems like all I can think about is the pain when I’m trying to work in a fast paced environment. I can’t afford any physiotherapy at this time and trying to be motivated to do the at home stretches and exercises is hard when I’m in so much pain and have little motivation. I can’t lay or sit in so many positions that used to bring me comfort. When I walk I limp most of the time because my right leg feels like it’s being crushed with every step I take. It’s like a throbbing and stabbing pain from the inside of my thigh down to my ankle. My lower back hurts a lot as well. I was diagnosed with a degenerating disc in my lumbar area by two doctors and one pain specialist. It’s crazy how quickly your life and future plans can change just because of body pain. I feel hopeless because it’s not completely curable without a surgery. I can’t live without my heating pads and multiple pillows under my legs when I sleep. I’ve tried a few pain medications and even prescription muscle relaxers and nothing really works, I feel no difference in pain level. If anyone has any suggestions or experience with ddd I’d try anything as long as it won’t cost much. Thank you if you read this all, it’s just nice to know I’m not alone.

[Hzhr7]

Hi, so sorry that you have ddd at such a young age. I started in my 30's & like you tried just about everything. At 55 I had 7 prolapsed discs & had to have an operation which was only partially successful. I have found gentle swimming, a good tens machine & Oramorph are the things that help me also try & get referred to pain management , this is a game changer . I sincerely hope you do find some relief , you are so young to be in so much pain xx

[tigerblossom55 in reply to Hzhr7]

Thank you so much for responding, I appreciate your kind words. I will definitely look into those things

[rabbits65]

Hello tigerblossom55I am shocked to read that your in so much pain at such a young age. Surly someone can help you . I have a bad back , had sciatica since the age of 21. I am 69 now . Physio therapy is very helpful . Years ago physio was more available . Have you asked your specialist/consultant if there is anything further you can do to help yourself. Also is it not possible to move to a different job where by your not standing for such a long time. I do hope someone can help you .

[Knuckledragger]

At 65 I was diagnosed with DDD, this was after almost 40 years of pain. It sounds like you have an advanced condition and symptoms. Unfortunately I can't give you any advice other than do everything you can possibly do before you're unable to do them.

[Bevvy]

I would be badgering gp and consultant for support and advice. You are very young to have such an issue and you need to know ways medical professionals are going to help you. They should be looking at alternative therapies such as physiotherapy and osteopath treatment. They will want to avoid strong pain medications at your young age because some can be quite addictive. Avoid any unregulated treatments such as chiropractors and massage therapists. They could be quite dangerous for you and make things worse.

I have chronic sciatica and do gentle exercises in swimming pools which I find very helpful. I also use something called a pain pen (from Amazon) which helps. It works similar to a tens machine but is more specific.

Sadly you may need to reconsider your job. Is being on your feet all day the best for someone in your situation? Am not suggesting you give up and live on benefits but am thinking maybe a different career path might be advisable. There are so many opportunities for training for young people these days and you might be able to take advantage of these….

[Defenders]

Hello, so sorry 😢, not the news you wanted to hear. I too have ddd in my lumbar spine, slipped disc and bulging disc, I’m in a much older age group and my prognosis is ‘severe’. If you can have surgery for your condition, you should but I know the cost is prohibitive at the moment for you. I’m in the UK and have been to the pain clinic but didn’t have a good experience there, but they are all different, and we are all different! I do my own non-weight bearing exercises on my bed. Standing is torture for me so, if you can, you must change your job where you don’t have to. I’ve been prescribed Gabapentin for the severe pain in my legs caused by ddd, but you are very young to take this kind of med, but if it helps, try it if your doctor prescribes. Walking is a weight bearing exercise, climbing stairs is also, so try and limit these. I don’t like to advise you limit your enjoyment of life but you know how much you can do. If you have the op at some stage, things would probably be different for you. I wish you all the best for the future

[Amkoffee]

Unfortunately getting a diagnosis of DDD it's so generic. I would be surprised if anybody was willing to even do surgery for you yet. Back surgery has a very low success rate anyway so that may not be your answer. Most of the time people who have pain down their leg talk about it being in the outside of their leg not on the inside the way you're describing. That might only mean that instead of the sciatic nerve being pinched that it's a different nerve being pinched. A pinched nerve can happen from a disc that is bulging because of your DDD. Assuming that your pain is caused by nerves you should ask to try a nerve medicine such as Gabapentin or pregabalin. Some people get a lot of relief from these medications. Of course they don't come without risks like any other drug you might take but they may help more than pain pills. I can't say how important physical therapy is and I do understand not being able to afford it. What I do is I will go a few times to get the instructions and demonstration of the exercises. And then I will go do the exercises and then come back and ask for help if any one of the exercises hurts me. Any physical therapist should be able to accommodate your limitations and augment or change a particular exercise or stretch so that it will not aggravate your back more. You might also get more relief from ice on your back instead of heat. Ice will help reduce the inflammation and the heat will relax the muscles. Sometimes alternating them will give you the best success. I also want to encourage you to buy a TENS unit and use it. Especially use it at work while you're on your feet. These days you can get them on Amazon for $20. You can then Google for a good placement where to put the patches on your back. A TENS machine works by blocking the pain message that's going to your brain. It really works quite well for most people. Good luck and trust me when I tell you that you really want to do these exercises and not let this thing get any worse than it already is.

[brauncs]

Sorry to hear that you are suffering with this problem at such a young age 😞 I was diagnosed with DDD in my 40's and have had two surgeries. My last MRI showed that I have 5 bad discs when I last saw my surgeon, and when i asked him for his advice he told me to go see my pain guy. My recommendation would be trying a conversion table or something along those lines for decompression. Almost every day I use mine for 5 min. and then I hang verticle off a rope with handles that is wrapped around a beam in my basement, for about 1 min.. Also find a good core strengthening workout and do it faithfully every day as it will help immensely. I have been doing one I found on Youtube on a site called "Tone and Tighten".

Good Luck, Craig