What Is Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease? Understanding It

There is a certain amount of spinal degeneration to be expected with age, but lifestyle choices do factor into how fast, or slowly, it occurs. Disc degeneration can occur in a single disc in one spinal section, or it can involve multiple discs in more than one level of the spine. Continue reading to learn more about the many important roles played by the shock-absorbing intervertebral discs.

The spine's intervertebral discs perform many roles essential to maintaining spinal health and function. Multilevel degenerative disc disease means disc degeneration is occurring in more than one of the spine's intervertebral discs and in more than one spinal section.

Let's start our exploration of multilevel degenerative disc disease by first touching on some basic spinal anatomy.

Healthy Spinal Anatomy

Healthy spines are aligned and able to maintain their natural curves; the spine's natural curves make it stronger, more flexible, and facilitate its ability to absorb and distribute mechanical stress evenly.

Understanding multilevel degenerative disc disease and its potential impact on the reversal of cervical lordosis is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment.

The spine consists of vertebrae (bones of the spine) stacked on top of one another in a straight and neutral alignment, and when the vertebrae are aligned, this means those healthy curves are in place.

There are three main sections of the spine: cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (middle/upper back), and lumbar spine (lower back).

Between each pair of adjacent vertebrae sits a spinal disc.

In order for the spine to function optimally, those vertebrae need to be aligned, and the natural curves have to be preserved, and this is also important for the spinal discs, and vice versa.

Why are the Intervertebral Discs so Important?

The discs of the spine are made of two components: a gel-like soft center called the nucleus, and a tough and durable outer layer called the annulus.

The discs are made up of fibrocartilage (collagen), water, and proteoglycans.

The discs are a huge part of spinal health and function: they combine forces to facilitate flexible movement, act as the spine's shock absorbers so no one spinal section is more strained that the others, provide cushioning between adjacent vertebrae so friction isn't generated with movement, and give the spine structure as adjacent vertebrae attach to the disc in between.

The discs play so many important roles that they are generally the first spinal structures to show the effects of spinal degeneration, and there is also another reason for this; the intervertebral discs are the largest structures within the body that don't have their own vascular supply, but what does that mean?

Vascular supply means a direct path in and out of a structure through which blood, nutrients, and waste can be absorbed and removed.

This is why once a disc starts to degenerate, it's difficult to reverse that process as the discs are limited in their ability to restore themselves, which can lead to degenerative disc disease.

Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease is the cause of many spinal conditions/issues as the discs are necessary for so many things, and once they start to deteriorate, the biomechanics of the spine are disrupted.

When we're born the discs are made up of approximately 80-percent water, but as we age, and through the cumulative effect of certain lifestyle choices, that fluid level decreases.

While a certain amount of fluid loss is to be expected with age, if a disc experiences excessive fluid loss, this is known as disc desiccation, and is often the start of, or result of, degenerative disc disease.

When a disc dries out, it often changes shape, losing height, and that affects the position of nearby vertebrae that attach to the disc; this can also affect the spinal nerves around the degenerating disc.

If a disc changes shape, it can cause compression (uneven pressure) of the nerves directly by encroaching on the space within the spine that the nerves pass through and function within and/or by changing the position of adjacent vertebrae, and then those vertebrae compress their surroundings, which can also cause a compressed nerve root.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease, often involving issues like l2-3 disc space narrowing and the thoracic spine, can lead to degenerative changes in osseous structures, such as bone spurs, potentially affecting nerve roots, and may require treatment to manage bone spurs effectively.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease, characterized by intervertebral disc disorders and disc desiccation meaning disc height loss, can affect various levels of the spine such as the lumbar region, often diagnosed with codes like ddd l spine icd 10 or ddd lumbar icd 10, manifesting as degenerative disc disease in specific areas like c4 c5 due to intervertebral disc degeneration and other degenerative changes within the lumbar intervertebral disc.

So as mentioned earlier, there are different levels of the spine, and degenerative disc disease can involve a singular disc in a single spinal section, or multiple discs in multiple levels of the spine: multilevel degenerative disc disease.

What Causes Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative disc disease can have multiple causes, as well as cause the development of multiple other spinal conditions.

Natural age-related spinal deterioration is the main cause of degenerative disc disease which is most commonly diagnosed in older adults over the age of 40.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease, particularly at the C5-C6 level, can manifest with symptoms such as end plate sclerosis and osseous abnormalities. Understanding the stages of spinal degeneration is crucial when dealing with acute osseous abnormality.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease, also known as discogenic degenerative disease, refers to an advanced degenerative disc condition that can affect multiple levels of the spine, primarily the lumbar region.

Understanding the definition of degenerative disease in this context is crucial, as it involves the gradual breakdown of spinal discs, potentially leading to issues like disc herniation and spinal cord compression.

To properly understand multilevel degenerative disc disease involves grasping the concept of degenerative changes in the spine, particularly prominent at levels like C6-C7, often coded as ICD-10 levoscoliosis. While endplate sclerosis may not always result in disability, surgical interventions may be considered for severe cases of multilevel degenerative disc disease to alleviate pressure on the spinal column.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease encompasses minor degenerative changes, multilevel facet arthrosis, and arthritis, affecting the cervical region and characterized by spondylotic changes, which can impact the function of the brain and spinal cord, especially in individuals with conditions like multiple sclerosis, highlighting the complex interplay with the immune system.

In addition to natural age-related spinal degeneration, as mentioned, certain lifestyle factors also affect a person's rate of spinal degeneration.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease often manifests with problems in multiple spinal levels, such as L2 and L3, and may involve conditions like degenerative joint disease (DJD) in the lumbar spine (ICD-10). Contributing factors like uncovertebral joint hypertrophy and herniated discs can lead to symptoms necessitating interventions like anterior cervical discectomy or addressing issues with the posterior longitudinal ligament.

Lifestyle Factors that Can Cause Disc Degeneration

Maintaining a healthy weight has a number of benefits when it comes to health and wellness.

Carrying excess weight means more pressure on the body's parts and joints, including the spine.

The spine has to support a lot of weight. The cervical spine has to support the weight of the head; the thoracic spine has to support the weight of the cervical spine above, and the trunk and chest, while the lumbar spine also has to support the weight of the trunk and the spinal sections above.

So the spine is already working hard, not to mention feeling the effects of twisting, bending, and lifting motions, so carrying excess weight can speed up natural spinal degeneration because it means its individual structures have to work that much harder.

Carrying excess weight can also cause the erosion of cartilage, which cushions bones where they meet and facilitates their smooth gliding motion during movement.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle can also impact spinal health and degeneration as it's contrary to the spine's natural movement-based design; in fact, one of the only ways for the spinal discs to re-hydrate is through movement.

Movement also increases the circulation around the discs, and without their own vascular supply, they use a process similar to osmosis to absorb fluid and nutrients needed for repair, restoration, and maintaining overall health.

Chronic poor posture can also cause uneven pressure and introduce adverse spinal tension to its parts, like the discs, and this can also increase a person's rate of degeneration.

For people with occupations that involve repeatedly lifting heavy objects, not understanding the concept and importance of ergonomic lifting can also strain the spine, increase risk of injury, and increase degenerative rates.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease, a condition categorized under ICD-10, involves multifocal degenerative changes and bone abnormalities in the lumbar spine, typically progressing through stages such as stage 2, leading to various patient symptoms; understanding this condition is crucial for implementing effective self-care strategies and diagnostic approaches like bone scans to detect osseous lesions and provide appropriate management.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease, characterized by the presence of multilevel endplate osteophytes, typically exhibits preserved disc heights despite minimal degenerative disc disease. Understanding this condition is crucial, especially in the context of cervicothoracic disc disorders, sacral, sacrococcygeal disorders, and other intervertebral disc degeneration.

Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption also affect the body's overall health and hydration level, including the discs of the spine.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease, characterized by multi-level disc desiccation and often including advanced degenerative disc disease at the L5-S1 level, involves degenerative changes in osseous structures and can affect the lumbar spine.

This condition can result in various symptoms, such as nerve root compression, spinal canal narrowing, and potentially herniated discs, making it essential to understand its pathophysiology and explore treatment options, including addressing multilevel bilateral facet arthropathy.

So the take-away here is that there's no way to fully avoid age-related spinal degeneration, but through healthy lifestyle choices, it can be prevented and/or slowed down for longer.

Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease, affecting the thoracolumbar spine, can often lead to conditions like levoconvex scoliosis or levoscoliosis as the discs deteriorate over time.

Now that we've defined the condition and its main cause, let's address some common symptoms of multilevel degenerative disc disease.

Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease Symptoms

While each case is unique with its own causation and symptoms, there are some common symptoms of degenerative disc disease.

In some mild cases, people are unaware they have the condition and learn about it whilst having an X-ray done for different reasons; the reality is that if left untreated, it can become worse, such as a deteriorating disc becoming a bulging and/or herniated disc.

When patients tend to start experiencing noticeable multilevel degenerative disc disease symptoms is when a significant amount of deterioration has already occurred, to the point of a disc changing shape, becoming desiccated, and surrounding spinal nerve function being affected by compression and/or impingement.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease is characterized by diffuse degenerative changes in the spinal discs, which can often be observed through an MRI showing disc dehydration. Endplate sclerosis is a common feature of this condition, and treating it may involve addressing facet hypertrophy and facet joint disease, which can manifest with various symptoms.

Particularly when there is a large degree of nerve involvement, some of the most common symptoms of degenerative disc disease can include:

• Back pain
• Radiating pain felt throughout the body
• Sensations of numbness and/or tingling
• Changes to gait
• Loss of muscle strength (muscle weakness)

When it comes to spinal health and function, degenerative disk disease can range from mild to severe, and experienced symptoms will reflect the condition's severity level, as well as other important variables like patient age and causation.

Understanding multilevel degenerative disc disease involves recognizing its relation to cervical and lumbar multilevel spondylosis as well.

Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease, also known as multi-level spondylosis or degenerative disc disease, refers to the progressive degeneration of intervertebral discs, typically occurring in the lumbar region, such as L4-L5. This condition involves degenerative changes in osseous structures and leads to disc narrowing, often resulting in spinal stenosis. Diagnosing and understanding the stages of degenerative disc disease are essential for appropriate treatment strategies, which may include both conservative approaches and, in severe cases, surgical interventions aimed at alleviating pain and improving spinal function.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease is a condition characterized by the degeneration of intervertebral discs, impacting osseous structures and leading to changes in the spine. The degeneration often occurs in the lumbosacral region, resulting in the deterioration of the intervertebral discs. Moderate degenerative disc disease is marked by the presence of degenerative changes that affect the functionality and structure of the spine.

Multilevel degenerative disc disease involves degenerative changes in osseous structures, including discs, vertebral bodies, and facet joints. Endplate sclerosis is a common feature but is not typically considered a serious condition on its own. This condition also encompasses multilevel facet joint arthropathy and thoracic spondylosis, contributing to its progression and symptoms.

Multilevel disc desiccation, where multiple discs dry out and deteriorate, is a key aspect, leading to symptoms like back pain and reduced mobility. Multiple sclerosis (MS) primarily affects the central nervous system, but it is not a direct cause of disc degeneration in this context. Distinguishing between these conditions requires a thorough evaluation, often including MRI, to accurately diagnose cervical spinal degenerative disease, such as multilevel degenerative disc disease and cervical spondylosis. Treatment should be tailored to individual patient needs and specific findings.

One key aspect of this condition is disc space narrowing, indicating a reduction in the space between vertebrae. The prognosis for degenerative disc disease can vary, with some individuals experiencing severe pain due to the degeneration. Pain management becomes a crucial aspect of treatment, and while moderate cases may respond well to conservative measures like physical therapy, severe cases may necessitate more aggressive intervention. Understanding what is degenerative disc disease and how it can be treated is essential for individuals grappling with the challenges posed by the degeneration of their spinal discs.

Conclusion

Multilevel facet arthropathy, a condition where the joints connecting the spinal bones undergo degenerative changes, can coexist with degenerative disc disease, particularly noted at levels T12-L1 and L2-L3. This involves the deterioration of the intervertebral discs, especially in the lumbar region, leading to what is commonly known as intervertebral disc syndrome.

The wear and tear of spinal discs and the development of multilevel endplate spurring can significantly affect the spinal cord and contribute to the overarching condition referred to as degenerative disc disease.

While multilevel degenerative disc disease primarily pertains to spinal health, individuals dealing with this condition may also wonder about its relationship with issues like scoliosis and vertigo and explore treatment options that don't involve surgery. Understanding these connections can provide valuable insights into managing their condition effectively.

Individuals developing degenerative disk disease often seek pain relief through various treatments, one of which could be spinal fusion. This surgical procedure aims to alleviate discomfort by fusing the affected spinal segments, thus stabilizing the area where the spinal disks have degenerated.

When it comes to effective treatment options for disc disease caused by gradual deterioration of the spine, treatment plans have to be shaped by the condition's causation.

If another spinal condition, such as bone spurs, is the cause of degenerative disc disease developing, the underlying spinal condition has to be the guiding force of treatment.

A degenerated disc diagnosis is reached through a comprehensive physical exam, and imaging scans that show what's happening in and around the spine.

The biggest risk factor for degenerative disk disease is the cumulative effect of certain lifestyle factors that, over time, impact the rate of natural age-related degenerative changes experienced by the spine.

The important thing to understand about degenerative disk disease is that if left untreated, further disc breakdown can progress to causing small tears in the annulus, through which the soft core (nucleus) pushes outward, progressing from a bulging disc to disc herniation, which can cause more nerve damage.

Here at the Scoliosis Reduction Center, I always take a proactive approach with treatment; I want to prevent degenerative disk disease from getting worse because with the discs not having their own vascular supply, once they start to deteriorate, the process of reversing that damage can be challenging and time-consuming.

Dr. Tony Nalda has treated patients with multilevel degenerative disc disease, often characterized by disc desiccation and herniated discs, to help prevent various spinal issues, including straight-back syndrome and scoliosis side effects.

When it comes to treatment, I combine condition-specific chiropractic care and physical therapy in an effort to preserve disc function, reduce inflammation, improve circulation around the affected spinal discs, and address any areas of vertebral subluxation so pressure is taken off the discs and nearby nerves.

Through proactive treatment, disc health and function can be preserved, while symptoms like neck pain, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, and most pain levels can be improved.