Disc Desiccation Between T3 – T4/Disc desiccation is one of the most common features of degenerative disc disease. It refers to the dehydration of your discs. Your vertebral discs are full of fluid, which keeps them both flexible and sturdy. As you age, the discs begin to dehydrate or slowly lose their fluid. The disc’s fluid is replaced by fibrocartilage, the tough, fibrous tissue that makes up the outer portion of the disc.
Disc desiccation refers to the loss of hydration experienced by the spine’s intervertebral discs, commonly presenting alongside degenerative disc disease. Symptoms vary depending on the severity and location of the affected discs, but known symptoms include pain, weakness, stiffness, and/or tingling in the back that sometimes radiates into the legs.
The discs between the vertebrae in the spinal column absorb shock and impact and prevent the bones from rubbing against each other.
There are five different sections of the spine
- Cervical spine (neck) – The first seven bones at the top of the neck.
- Thoracic spine (mid-back) – The 12 bones below the cervical spine.
- Lumbar spine (low back) – The five bones below the thoracic spine.
- Sacral spine – The five bones below the lumbar region.
- Coccyx – The final four bones of the coccyx are fused together and support the pelvic floor.
Disc desiccation is a normal part of aging. The discs can become smaller and less flexible as they dehydrate, and can eventually start to break down or degenerate.
Causes of Disc Desiccation Between T3 – T4
There are many causes behind the desiccation of the disc. Here are the main causes of the problem-
- Process of The Ageing – As the human body ages, it hardens. The same happens with the discs too. And Age is not just the number here. Age means the speed of wear and tear in the body. How fast this wear and tear happens that is our age. Simply this is carelessness that ages us faster than our years.
- Underlying diseases – There are certain diseases that cause problems of aging. Generally, these are the diseases that impact the blood supply.
- Postural Problems – The spine has its own curvature. This curvature is known as lordotic curvature. Lordotic curvature ensures flexibility of the spine and also gives space to the discs when we bent and move our spine. When this curvature straightens- it exerts pressure on the cartilages. Problem with the ENDPLATES impacts the blood supply. And lack of nutrition turns into the desiccation of the disc.
- Excessive Weight Loss – When we shed weight, this is not just about our tummy or hips. It impacts on deeper tissues too.
- Trauma and Injury – Any sudden trauma can lead to the problem of desiccation. This happens due to injury to the tissues.
What does desiccated disc cause?
There are certain symptoms that appear because of the desiccated discs. These symptoms can be just simple ones and can be serious too. Here are a few of these.
- Stiffness in the back: this is the most common symptom, which appears in the early stage of the disc.
- Problems in standing for long: When a patient stays in a posture for long, it leads to pain and uneasiness.
- Pain in the lower back
- Radiation of pain in lower limb
- Numbness
- Feeling of heaviness in back.
These symptoms vary according to the location of the affected disc and the severity of the problem.
This is all about the desiccated disc from a modern scientific perspective. But now we need to know about – what does Ayurveda say about the problem and how does Ayurveda look at the condition.
Symptoms of Disc Desiccation Between T3 – T4
- Weakness Stiffness
- Reduced or painful movements
- Numbness in the legs or feet
- Burning or tingling sensation, especially in the back region
- Change in the knee and foot reflexes
- Sciatica (pain caused by the irritation of the sciatic nerve)
Diagnosis of Disc Desiccation Between T3 – T4
A physical exam for diagnosing disc pain may include one or more of the following tests
- Palpation – Palpating (feeling by hand) certain structures can help identify the pain source. For example, worsened pain when pressure is applied to the spine may indicate sensitivity caused by a damaged disc and disc desiccation.
- Movement tests – Tests that assess the spine’s range of motion may include bending the neck or torso forward, backward, or to the side. Additionally, if raising one leg in front of the body worsens leg pain, it can indicate a disc desiccation lumbar herniated disc (straight leg raise test).
- Muscle strength – A neurological exam may be conducted to assess muscle strength and determine if a nerve root is compressed by disc desiccation. A muscle strength test may include holding the arms or legs out to the side or front of the body to check for tremors, muscle atrophy, or other abnormal movements.
- Reflex test – Nerve root irritation can dampen reflexes in the arms or legs. A reflex test involves tapping specific areas with a reflex hammer. If there is little or no reaction, it may indicate a compressed nerve root in the spine, disc desiccation.
Lab Test
- A medical history – in which you answer questions about your health, symptoms, and activity.
- A physical exam to assess your strength – reflexes, sensation, stability, alignment, and motion. You may also need blood tests.
- Laboratory testing – may include white blood cell (WBC) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP).
- Elevated ESR – could indicate infection, malignancy, chronic disease, inflammation, trauma, or tissue ischemia.
- Elevated CRP – levels are associated with infection.
Imaging
- X-rays – view the bony vertebrae in your spine and can tell your doctor if any of them are too close together or whether you have arthritic changes, bone spurs, or fractures narrowing of the spinal canal. It’s not possible to diagnose disc desiccation with paracentral disc herniation in this test alone.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan – is a noninvasive test that uses a magnetic field and radiofrequency waves to give a detailed view of the soft tissues of your spine with disc desiccation and paracentral disc herniation. Unlike an X-ray, nerves and discs are clearly visible. It may or may not be performed with a dye (contrast agent) injected into your bloodstream. An MRI can detect which disc is damaged and if there is any nerve compression disc desiccation. It can also detect bony overgrowth, spinal cord tumors, abscesses, or narrowing of the spinal canal.
- A myelogram – is a specialized X-ray where dye is injected into the spinal canal through a spinal tap. An X-ray fluoroscope then records the images formed by the dye. The dye used in a myelogram shows up white on the X-ray, allowing the doctor to view the spinal cord and canal, a bulging disc paracentral disc herniation, disc desiccation in detail. Myelograms can show a nerve being pinched and a bulging disc by a herniated disc, bony overgrowth, narrowing of the spinal can spinal cord tumors, disc desiccation, and abscesses.
- Computed Tomography (CT) scan – is a noninvasive test that uses an X-ray beam and a computer to make 2-dimensional images of your spine. It may or may not be performed with a dye (contrast agent) injected into your bloodstream. This test is especially useful for confirming which bulging disc and narrowing of the spinal canals are damaged.
- Electromyography (EMG) & Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) – EMG tests measure the electrical activity of your muscles. Small needles are placed in your muscles, and the results are recorded on a special machine. NCS is similar, but it measures how well your nerves pass an electrical signal from one end of the nerve to another. These tests can detect nerve damage and muscle weakness and a bulging disc, disc desiccation, paracentral disc herniation.
- Discogram – A discogram may be recommended to confirm which bulging disc is painful if surgical treatment is considered. In this test, the radiographic dye is injected into the disc to recreate disc pain from the dye’s added pressure. Electrodiagnostic evidence of fibrillation potentials and the absence of a tibial H-wave may aid in further confirming the diagnosis of lumbar canal stenosis and disc desiccation.[rx]
Treatment of Disc Desiccation Between T3 – T4
- Stay hydrated – Not drinking enough water each day can cause the body to function less well or not retain enough water, including the discs.
- Don’t smoke – Cigarette use can directly affect the discs in the back and increase the rate of disc degeneration.
- Maintain a healthy weight – Being overweight or obese puts extra pressure on the back and spine, which can cause the desiccation and decay of the intervertebral discs.
- Take regular exercise – Participating in regular cardio and weight-training exercises can strengthen the bones and muscles and promote a good range of motion in the back. People can ask their doctor or a physical therapist for specific exercises that support the back muscles.
- Spine-Specialized physical therapy – typically includes a combination of stretching, strengthening, and aerobic exercise to provide better stability and support for the spine.
- Massage therapy – can help reduce muscle tension and muscle spasms, which may add to back or neck pain. Muscle tension is especially common around an unstable spinal segment where a disc is unable to provide the necessary support
- Ice & Moist Heat Application – Ice application where the ice is wrapped in a towel or an ice pack for about 20 minutes to the affected region, thrice a day, helps in relieving the symptoms of a disc bulge. Heat application in the later stages of treatment also provides the same benefit.
- Use of lumbosacral back support – Generally, back braces are categorized as flexible, semi-rigid, and rigid. Rigid braces tend to be used for moderate to severe cases of pain and/or instability, such as to assist healing of spinal fractures or after back surgery. Semi-rigid and flexible braces are used for more mild or moderate pain.
- Eat Nutritiously During Your Recovery – All bones and tissues in the body need certain nutrients in order to heal properly and in a timely manner. Eating a nutritious and balanced diet that includes lots of minerals and vitamins is proven to help heal back pain of all types of lumbar disc disease. Therefore focus on eating lots of fresh produce (fruits and veggies), whole grains, lean meats, and fish to give your body the building blocks needed to properly healing PLID, and narrowing of the spinal canal. In addition, drink plenty of purified water, milk, and other dairy-based beverages to augment what you eat.
- In bulging disc needs ample minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, boron) and protein to become strong and healthy again.
- Excellent sources of minerals/protein include dairy products, tofu, beans, broccoli, nuts and seeds, sardines, and salmon.
- Important vitamins that are needed for bone healing include vitamin C (needed to make collagen), vitamin D (crucial for mineral absorption), and vitamin K (binds calcium to bones and triggers collagen formation).
- Conversely, don’t consume food or drink that is known to impair bone/tissue healing, such as alcoholic beverages, sodas, most fast food items, and foods made with lots of refined sugars and preservatives.
Medications
- Analgesics – Such as paracetamol and prescription-strength drugs that relieve pain but not inflammation.
- Muscle Relaxants – These medications provide relief from spinal muscle spasms. Muscle relaxants, such as baclofen, tolperisone, eperisone, methocarbamol, carisoprodol, and cyclobenzaprine, may be prescribed to control muscle spasms.
- Neuropathic Agents – Drugs(pregabalin & gabapentin) that address neuropathic—or nerve-related—pain. This includes burning, numbness, and tingling.
- Opioids – Also known as narcotics, these medications are intense pain relievers that should only be used under a doctor’s careful supervision.
- NSAIDs – Prescription-strength drugs that reduce both pain and inflammation. Pain medicines and anti-inflammatory drugs help to relieve pain and stiffness, allowing for increased mobility and exercise. There are many common over-the-counter medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They include mainly or first choice etodolac, then aceclofenac, etoricoxib, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
- Calcium & vitamin D3 – To improve bone health and healing fracture. As a general rule, men and women age 50 and older should consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day, and 600 international units of vitamin D a day.
- Glucosamine & Diacerein, Chondroitin sulfate – can be used to tightening the loose tendon, cartilage, ligament, and cartilage, ligament regenerates cartilage or inhabits the further degeneration of cartilage, ligament.
- Dietary supplement – to remove general weakness & improved health.
- Vitamin B1, B6, and B12 – It is essential for neuropathic pain management, pernicious anemia, with vitamin b complex deficiency pain, paresthesia, numbness, itching with diabetic neuropathy pain, myalgia, etc.
- Antidepressants – A drug that blocks pain messages from your brain and boosts the effects of endorphins (your body’s natural painkillers).
- Oral Corticosteroid – to healing the nerve inflammation and clotted blood in the joints. Steroids may be prescribed to reduce the swelling and inflammation of the nerves. They are taken orally (as a Medrol dose pack) in a tapering dosage over a five-day period. It has the advantage of providing almost immediate pain relief within a 24-hour period.
- Topical Medications – These prescription-strength creams, gels, ointments, patches, and sprays help relieve pain and inflammation throughout the skin.
- Steroid injections The procedure is performed under x-ray fluoroscopy and involves an injection of corticosteroids and a numbing agent into the epidural space of the spine. The medicine is delivered next to the painful area to reduce the swelling and inflammation of the nerves (Fig. 3). About 50% of patients will notice relief after an epidural injection, although the results tend to be temporary. Repeat injections may be given to achieve the full effect. Duration of pain relief varies, lasting for weeks or years. Injections are done in conjunction with physical therapy and/or a home exercise program.
- epidural steroid injection. A steroid solution is injected into the epidural space (outer layer of the spinal canal) to reduce inflammation. This injection is by far the most common one used for herniated discs.
- Selective nerve root injection. A steroid solution and anesthetic are injected near the spinal nerve as it exits through the intervertebral foramen. This injection is also used to help diagnose which nerve root might be causing pain.
Surgery
There are many different ways that surgery can help with a desiccated disc. Possible procedures may include:
- Fusion – The surgeon will join together the vertebrae surrounding the desiccated disc. This helps to stabilize the back and prevent movement that can worsen pain or discomfort.
- Decompression – The surgeon will remove extra bone or a disc material that has moved out of place in order to make more room for the spinal nerves.
- Correction – The surgeon will make the repairs necessary to correct an abnormal curvature of the spine, if there is one. This can help relieve pain and increase range of motion.
- Implants – Artificial discs, or spacers, can be placed in between vertebrae to stop the bones from rubbing.
- Microdiscectomy – for a herniated disc, a minimally invasive procedure in which the herniated portion of the disc is removed.
- Artificial disc replacement – for degenerative disc disease and herniated discs is a minimally invasive procedure that replaces a damaged disc with a specialized implant that mimics the normal function of the disc, maintaining mobility.
- Spinal fusion – fusion for degenerative disc disease, in which the disc space is fused together to remove motion at the spinal segment. Spinal fusion involves setting up a bone graft, as well as possible implanted instruments, to facilitate bone growth across the facet joints. Fusion occurs after the surgery.
- Open Back Surgery – Traditionally, bulging discs are treated with an open back procedure, meaning the surgeon makes a large incision into the skin and cuts muscle and surrounding tissue to gain access to the problematic disc. This traditional surgical option is invasive, requires overnight hospitalization, general anesthesia, and requires a lengthy recovery coupled with strong pain medication.
- Endoscopic Surgery – Fortunately, you have a second option with endoscopic spine surgery. Thanks to the advancement of surgical technology a bulged disc surgery can be performed using endoscopic procedures, meaning the surgeon makes a small incision to insert special surgical tools. During an endoscopic bulging disc operation, the surgeon uses a tiny camera to visualize and gain access to your damaged disc. This minimally invasive new approach offers shorter recovery, easier rehabilitation, and a much higher success rate than open back or neck surgery. A local anesthetic is all that is usually required.
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