What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?
4. Drying
Inside the spinal discs is a thick, jelly-like substance. This helps the discs to absorb shock better, thus helping to protect the spine from damage. As time goes by, however, this jelly-like substance is losing tiny amounts of water, slowly becoming drier. They can eventually get dry to the point it causes a problem for the patient.
As these discs lose water, so they also become thinner. This, in turn, means they become less effective at absorbing shock and there will be less of a cushion between each part of the spine. This is a condition known as disc desiccation, and it can be very uncomfortable for the patient.
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