Symptomatic lumbar degenerative disk disease, or discogenic back pain, is difficult to treat. Patients often report transverse low back pain that radiates into the sacroiliac joints. Radicular or claudicatory symptoms are generally absent unless there is concomitant nerve compression. Physical examination findings are often unremarkable. Radiographic examination may reveal disk space narrowing,...

BACKGROUND Degenerative joint disease most often affects middle-aged and elderly people. Patients over 65 years of age are frequently afflicted. The pain and limitation of mobility in joints are the cause of disability and reduced quality of life and lead to a decision to carry out total replacement surgery of the affected joint. Conservative treatment is often a palliative modality that genera...

BACKGROUND Nutritional supplements are commonly used for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including knee and hip degenerative joint disease. Although these supplements are occasionally recommended for patients with degenerative disc disease and spinal degenerative joint disease, the evidence supporting this use is unknown. OBJECTIVE To systematically search and assess the quality of t...