Too young for DDD and DJD (O?

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Becky2008

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Hi all,
I haven't written much on this board, but I'm having a lot of low back trouble and I could use some support. About 1 1/2 months ago I took a nasty fall and so started my problems. I went to see a chiropractor and he did pretty much physical therapy on me (no manipulation) but I was not improving. I went to see a pain specialist and he injected both SI joints. They helped on the left side but did nothing for the right. I started to get a burning sensation on my thigh and along my calf. We finally decided on an MRI. The MRI revealed multilevel bilateral facet hypertrophy and severe ligamentum flavum thickening. It also revealed a bulged disc at L3-4 and L4-5 with the 4-5 bulge having moderate focal central disc protrusion and disc material extending into the right neural foramen. The radiologist's "impression" was Multilevel degenerative disc and joint disease. Well, with all that info. My pain doc did an epidural injection at L4-5 as kind of an experiment to see if that was the cause of my pain. I just had all of this done today and am really really hurting after that injection. I hope this get's better. Anyway, I'm only 26 years old and was under the impression that ddd and djd occur in much older people. Anybody out there have any tips for me for preventing this pain from getting worse or recurring over time? I just can't accept the idea that the pain is going to plague me for life.
 
I am only 24 and have had back problems for 7 years. I have DDD (it is possible to have at any age. It is just arthritis of the spine) and herniations and an abnormality extra vertibra (the sacrum joint is not fused). I have had many injections and surgery (discectomy). None of this helped. The last procedure I went through, radiofrequency ablation, helped a little. It stinks beeing our age and being in pain at all times. I am too young for another surgery (fusion or disc replacement), so I have had to learn to live with it. I still work full time. Just take it one day at a time and be very careful on every move you make. Learn how to bend and lift correctly and/or try to avoid lifting so you don't agrevate your back anymore.
 
Thanks girl :) I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling for so long. The next step for me is probably a disc decompression procedure, but we'll have to see how all of this pans out. I want to avoid surgery if I can help it, so I'm trying everything else first.
 
Hi

I am also in my 20's, 27, and dealing with many problems, one of which is DDD in L4-L5. Unfortunately, it can happen at any age. I am too the point where I wish I had a cane to get around. I don't think you will need to deal with the pain forever, I certainly don't plan on it. Injections and PT haven't worked for me either, so I am having a two level fusion surgery. My surgeon is scheduling it at our next appointment.

Good luck!
 
I am sorry to hear you are having back problems at such a young age. It is very frustrating. I herniated a disc at work (and also have DDD)I had a discectomy at L4/L5 at age 25. This was not successful so last month a few days before my 27th birthday I had a fusion of L4/L5. It was very painful but in the long run I am hoping it will help. I hope conservative treatment will work for you but sometimes the pain gets so bad the surgery is needed even if you are young. Good luck!
 
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