Degeneration

Degeneration vs. Disc Prolapse

Disc degeneration has been a topic of discussion in its mechanism of back pain for decades.

It is believed to be related but a causal link has been difficult to pin down. Researchers believe it to be related while others still question its role in back pain because of asymptomatic individuals with it as seen in MRI.

In order to continue to reveal the mechanisms related to back pain, a discernment between disc degeneration and prolapse was the topic of this outstanding runner up study in The Spine Journal.

Kanna et al. opened this research paper by stating that the pathogenesis, management, symptom presentation, etiology and prevention of lumbar disc degeneration has been elusive and how it is important to sub-classify and investigate degeneration and prolapse. These researchers wanted to analyze the patterns of degenerative disc disease with chronic low back pain and compare it to acute disc prolapse.

This study was conducted using a prospective MRI imaging approach.

In conclusion they found that back pain and degenerative disc disease (ddd) were radiologically and clinically different when compared to those with back pain and disc prolapse. These researchers found that in those with disc prolapse, there was less degeneration and more endplate disruption. This fits with other findings of endplate failure to be more common with disc herniation. Subjects in this study who had back pain were found to have more numbers of degenerative discs with primarily upper lumbar involvement.

Dynamic Disc Designs develops spine models to help patients understand more clearly their own pain generators….helping to reduce psychosocial factors involved with back pain.