MS Speaks

Multiple Sclerosis => THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF BEING MULTIPLY SCLEROSED => Topic started by: agate on September 10, 2022, 09:35:26 pm

Title: Exercises to avoid with degenerative disk disease
Post by: agate on September 10, 2022, 09:35:26 pm
Many people with MS also have degenerative disk disease. This article gives some information about this disorder and what might help. From Medical News Today (September 9, 2022)--"Exercises to avoid with degenerative disk disease":


https://bit.ly/3Bw9kop
Title: Re: Exercises to avoid with degenerative disk disease
Post by: ewizabeth on September 27, 2022, 01:48:27 pm
This is something I've been dealing with for about 8 or so years now. It shows as facet disease arthritis on my lower spine. I've done everything listed, including all of the usual MS meds. I've also lost a lot of weight but even that didn't help. It's painful to walk, stand, sit, or lift anything more than 2 or three pounds. I sure hope you don't deal with this Agate. I'm getting to the point where I might need to have surgery to be able to continue to walk.
Title: Re: Exercises to avoid with degenerative disk disease
Post by: agate on September 29, 2022, 09:59:16 pm
Thank you for posting, ewizabeth!


I'm so sorry you're having this additional disorder.  I had a CT scan recently to detect a spinal fracture, and one of the findings mentioned in the report was "advanced degenerative disk disease." I too had lost some weight recently in the hope that my mobility would improve. It improved slightly but not much.


I'm unable to bend over to pick up things without a reacher. I can do it if I have to but it's very difficult because I'm so stiff and slow. Today, for instance, I dropped an entire deck of playing cards on the floor and just didn't feel up to bending over to get them. Instead I laboriously picked up each one with my reacher.


I hope you won't have to go the surgery route. Surgery was suggested for me when I asked if I could try to regain some of my lost height (5.5 inches in all) and correct the spinal curvature I now have, but the doctor described the surgery as "basically pouring cement into your spine," and she said that the improvement would be only partial.


The type of surgery you're considering is probably something different but I keep hearing that more conservative treatment is often better than surgery when the spine is involved.