Deciding whether or not to have surgery for degenerative disc disease is an elective decision. No one ever died from having severe degenerative disc disease (DDD), so in that regard it is similar to arthritis. If a patient tries considerable conservative treatment for over six months and the pain is unbearable, it may be time to start considering surgery.

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a problem affecting millions of Americans. It is never fatal and surgery for it is not absolutely vital. The discs between the vertebra (intervertebral discs) in the lumbar spine provide an extremely important cushioning function.

Opioid medications are prescribed for patients with painful conditions and the response is typically excellent pain relief. With chronic pain affecting 15% of the US population, doctors are prescribing narcotic medications with alarming frequency. There exists a paradoxical condition termed opioid induced hyperalgesia (OIH) where patients actually become oversensitive to pain medication. Increasing the dose will only make the pain worse.

One of the most common causes for neck pain is due to incorrect posture. Long working hours and the pressures of modern life style have caused a dramatic increase in neck pain.

For many of us pain is something we have just accepted as a normal part of aging. For some however, the search for pain relief and a better quality of living has resulted in a decision to move to a better climate.