If you groan, creek, and sigh when bending, twisting, standing, and sitting, those are the sounds of an aging spine.
Like all machines, your body breaks down over time, and your spine — the hub of mobility — is one of the first parts to go. While you can’t prevent aging, you can take proactive steps to reduce its effects on your spine, and we can help.
Dr. Don Enty at Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine in Colleyville, Texas, specializes in spinal conditions that cause chronic back pain and neck pain, and he provides the latest innovative treatments that resolve them.
However, he wants patients to know that spinal problems aren’t inevitable as you age and offers the following strategies for avoiding them.
Your spine naturally changes as you age. Every component is subject to wear and tear, from your bones to your discs. Here’s what you’re in for as you age:
These degenerative changes result in stiffness, inflexibility, and pain. While they’re common and often unavoidable, knowing what happens to your spine as you age helps you take steps to mitigate the effects.
Spinal issues are prevalent among older adults and include the following conditions.
Osteoarthritis occurs as the cartilage between your vertebrae wears down, leading to pain and stiffness.
Spinal stenosis involves the narrowing of the spinal canal, which can compress nerves and cause discomfort.
Degenerative disc disease is a natural breakdown of the intervertebral discs, leading to pain and decreased mobility.
Herniated discs occur when the tough outer shell of the disc ruptures, allowing the inner gel-like nucleus to bulge out and press on nearby nerves.
You may not be able to stop advancing age from affecting your spine, but you can prepare your body to battle the effects gracefully. Here’s how:
Protect your spine by building up muscle mass around it. All movement is helpful, but yoga, pilates, and other core exercises are best.
Excess weight strains your spine. A healthy diet can help you lose weight and also provide calcium and other essential nutrients for your spine.
Yes, there’s a right and wrong way to sleep for spinal health. Sleeping on your back is best for spine health. If you sleep on your side, prop a pillow between your knees to alleviate stress on your spine.
The chemicals in tobacco interfere with blood flow and healing.
Chronic inflammation can lead to ankylosing spondylitis, a painful disease affecting spinal joints and ligaments. Cutting back on red meat, refined sugar, dairy, and processed foods can help.
Practicing good posture while standing and sitting can prevent back pain. Stabilize your pelvis, keep your neck in a neutral position, and don’t slouch.
Improper lifting techniques are a one-way ticket to back pain. Avoid lifting heavy objects, but when you must, use your legs, not your back, to hoist the load.
Once Dr. Enty diagnoses the underlying cause of your spinal pain, he determines the best treatment approach. You may benefit from a simple injection, such as:
If your nerves are misfiring, he may recommend rhizotomy or neuroablation to deactivate a painful nerve with heat or chemicals, respectively.
Spinal cord stimulation, an implanted device that interrupts pain signals, delivers next-level pain relief.
Dr. Enty also offers the latest regenerative medicine techniques, including platelet-rich plasma and human tissue allograft.
Whether you’re trying to prevent spinal damage before it begins or you need to address the effects of aging that have already set in, call Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine or request an appointment online to partner with Dr. Enty and keep your spine healthy well into your golden years.