25 August 2025

Degenerative Disc Disease: Expert Diagnosis & Advanced Treatment with Dr. John Peloza

Chronic neck or back pain can interfere with nearly every aspect of your daily life. In many cases, the underlying cause is degenerative disc disease (DDD), a common spinal condition that worsens over time without appropriate treatment. Dr. John Peloza is a nationally recognized spine surgeon based in Chesterfield, Missouri, with over 30 years of experience managing DDD. His approach to degenerative disc disease treatment combines advanced diagnostic tools and individualized treatment plans to restore comfort, mobility, and quality of life.

What is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative disc disease isn’t actually a “disease” but rather a condition that occurs when the cushioning discs between your vertebrae begin to wear down, typically as a natural part of aging. These discs act as shock absorbers for your spine, allowing it to bend, flex, and twist. As they degenerate, they can lose flexibility, height, and hydration. DDD may causes pain, abnormal sensations, weakness and other symptoms. Symptoms of degenerative disc disease can range from mild discomfort to chronic, debilitating pain.

Common Causes of Degenerative Disc Disease

Several factors can contribute to the development and progression of degenerative disc disease:

Aging: This is the most common cause; Discs naturally lose water content and elasticity over time.
Genetics: A family history of degenerative disc disease can increase your personal risk.
Wear and Tear: Years of daily activities and minor injuries can accumulate, causing discs to weaken and break down.
Lifestyle Factors: Smoking, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle can accelerate disc wear.
Poor Posture & Repetitive Strain: Certain occupations or habits involving heavy lifting or repetitive spinal movements can put extra stress on your discs.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

Symptoms of degenerative disc disease can vary widely depending on the location and severity of the affected disc(s) but often include:

Chronic or Intermittent Pain: Most commonly in the lower back (lumbar spine) or neck (cervical spine). Pain may be dull and aching or sharp and stabbing.
Radiating Pain: Pain that travels down the arms or legs; Pain in the buttocks, lower back and leg, commonly called sciatica, can be caused by degenerative disc disease.
Numbness or Tingling: Degenerating discs can become herniated, which presses and inflames the nerve roots and nerves; This pressure and inflammation affects the way nerve signals are carried causing a wide variety of odd sensations
Muscle Weakness: When nerves that control the muscles are compressed or inflamed, it can cause muscle weakness.

In addition, the pain from degenerative disc disease often worsens with certain activities, such as prolonged sitting, bending, lifting, or twisting. In contrast, DDD symptoms may improve with position changes like walking, moving around, or lying down.

Accurate Diagnosis: The First Step to Effective DDD Treatment with Dr. Peloza

Before treatment can begin, Dr. Peloza must make the right diagnosis. He uses a comprehensive approach developed over decades of clinical experience. This begins with a detailed review of your medical history to understand your symptoms, daily activities, and any past injuries that may contribute to your condition. A thorough physical examination follows, focusing on your range of motion, areas of tenderness, and signs of nerve involvement. When needed, advanced imaging such as X-rays, MRI, or CT scans provide a clearer picture of disc degeneration, nerve compression, and other spinal abnormalities. In select cases, diagnostic injections are used to confirm the precise source of pain and guide treatment planning.

Tailored Treatment Options for Degenerative Disc Disease in Chesterfield, MO

Dr. Peloza believes in a patient-first approach, emphasizing conservative treatments initially and recommending surgery only when necessary. His goal is not just to treat your DDD but to empower you toward a full recovery.

Non-Surgical Treatments

When you’re dealing with degenerative disc disease, surgery isn’t always the first or best option. In fact, you may never need surgery. Dr. Peloza has helped many patients in Chesterfield find significant relief through non-surgical approaches that he tailors to each patient’s specific needs and lifestyle. These treatments focus on managing pain, improving function, and slowing the progression of disc deterioration.

Lifestyle Modifications

Dr. Peloza believes that small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference in managing your symptoms. He works closely with each patient to identify specific adjustments that fit their unique life and work situation.

Ergonomics: Ergonomics can be used to adjust your workspace and daily activities to reduce strain on your spine. Poor posture and repetitive stress can accelerate disc degeneration. However, adjusting your computer monitor to eye level, selecting a supportive chair with proper lumbar (lower back) support, or learning the correct way to lift heavy objects may help.
Weight management: Excess body weight puts additional pressure on your spinal discs, particularly in the lower back. Even losing 10-15 pounds can significantly reduce the load on your spine and decrease pain levels. Dr. Peloza may recommend working with a nutritionist to develop a sustainable eating plan that complements your treatment. You may also benefit from a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic®, Mounjaro®, or Wegovy®.
Activity modification: High-impact activities like running on concrete or heavy weightlifting might need to be replaced with lower-impact alternatives like swimming or walking. Dr. Peloza’s goal is to keep you active while protecting your spine from further damage.

Physical Therapy

Dr. Peloza works with licensed physical therapists who will create a customized exercise program designed just for you. The programs that Dr. Peloza recommends typically focus on four main areas: Strengthening exercises, flexibility training, posture correction, and pain reduction techniques.

Dr. Peloza is upfront with his patients that physical therapy isn’t a quick fix – most patients need several weeks or months of consistent work to see significant improvement. However, he’s seen that the benefits often last long after formal therapy ends because patients learn exercises and techniques they can continue at home.

Medications

Dr. Peloza uses several types of medications to help manage the pain and inflammation associated with degenerative disc disease. He chooses the best options based on your specific symptoms, medical history, and other medications you might be taking.

Anti-inflammatory drugs: This includes over-the-counter options like ibuprofen or prescription medications. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) work by reducing swelling around the affected discs and nerves. Dr. Peloza often recommends NSAIDs because they can be very effective, though he monitors patients carefully for stomach irritation and other side effects that may come with long-term use.
Muscle relaxants: Dr. Peloza prescribes muscle relaxants when muscle spasms accompany disc problems. He explains that these muscles often tighten up as a protective response to pain, which can make symptoms worse. Muscle relaxants can sometimes break this cycle and provide relief.

Dr. Peloza emphasizes that medications are typically most effective when combined with other treatments rather than used alone. He monitors all his patients closely to ensure medications are working safely and effectively.

Spinal Injections

When other treatments aren’t providing enough relief, Dr. Peloza may recommend spinal injections for targeted pain management. These procedures involve injecting medication directly into or near the affected area of your spine.

Epidural steroid injections are among Dr. Peloza’s most commonly used procedures. During this treatment, he injects corticosteroids (powerful anti-inflammatory medications) into the epidural space, which is the area around your spinal cord and nerve roots. This delivers medication directly where inflammation is causing pain, often providing relief that lasts several months.

Other targeted injection options that Dr. Peloza offers include:

Facet joint injections for pain coming from the small joints in your spine
Trigger point injections for muscle knots and spasms
Nerve blocks to interrupt pain signals from specific nerves

Dr. Peloza performs these procedures on an outpatient basis, and they typically take less than an hour. While he’s clear that they don’t cure degenerative disc disease, they can provide significant pain relief and allow you to participate more fully in physical therapy and other treatments.

Minimally Invasive Procedures

When conservative treatments haven’t provided enough relief from your degenerative disc disease symptoms, Dr. Peloza offers advanced minimally invasive procedures that can provide significant pain relief with faster recovery times. These procedures use smaller incisions, specialized instruments, and advanced imaging guidance to treat the source of your pain while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Microdiscectomy

When degenerative disc disease has progressed to the point where a disc has herniated (the soft inner material pushes through a crack in the outer layer) and is pressing on a nerve, Dr. Peloza may recommend a microdiscectomy. This procedure specifically removes the portion of the herniated disc that’s causing nerve compression and pain.

During a microdiscectomy, Dr. Peloza makes a small incision (typically less than an inch) and uses a surgical microscope or specialized magnifying equipment to see the affected area clearly. He carefully removes only the disc material that’s pressing on the nerve, leaving the healthy portions of the disc intact. This targeted approach preserves as much of the disc’s natural structure as possible while relieving your symptoms.

The benefits of Dr. Peloza’s minimally invasive approach include significantly less muscle damage compared to traditional open surgery, faster healing times, and reduced scarring. Most patients can return to light activities within 2-4 weeks and more strenuous activities within 6-12 weeks.

Studies show that microdiscectomy is highly effective, with most patients experiencing significant pain relief and improved function.¹ Dr. Peloza’s extensive experience with minimally invasive techniques helps ensure optimal outcomes while minimizing potential complications.

Laminectomy and Laminotomy

When degenerative disc disease contributes to spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spaces within your spine), Dr. Peloza may recommend a laminectomy or laminotomy to relieve pressure on your nerves. These procedures involve removing portions of the lamina (the back part of the vertebra that covers your spinal canal) to create more space for the spinal cord and nerve roots.

A laminotomy involves removing just a small portion of the lamina, while a laminectomy removes a larger section or the entire lamina of one or more vertebrae. Dr. Peloza determines which approach is best based on the extent of your stenosis and the specific location of nerve compression.

Dr. Peloza performs these procedures using minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. This means smaller incisions, specialized tubular retractors (instruments that gently move muscles aside rather than cutting through them), and advanced imaging guidance. The goal is to decompress the affected nerves while preserving the stability of your spine and minimizing trauma to surrounding tissues.

Patients typically experience immediate relief from leg pain and numbness once the pressure on the nerves is relieved. Most people can walk within hours of the procedure and return home the same day or after an overnight stay. Dr. Peloza’s minimally invasive approach often results in less postoperative pain and a faster return to normal activities compared to traditional open procedures.

Endoscopic Spine Surgery

Dr. John Peloza offers endoscopic spine surgery for certain types of spinal conditions. In this procedure, Dr. Peloza uses specialized endoscopic equipment, specifically a thin, tube-like instrument with a camera and surgical tools, which he inserts through a tiny incision, typically 6-8 mm long. The camera projects images onto a screen, allowing Dr. Peloza to target and remove or repair the problem area (such as a herniated disc or areas causing nerve compression) with great accuracy while sparing the surrounding muscles and tissues. Endoscopic spine surgery is minimally invasive, which allows for quicker recovery, less pain, and very small incisions compared to traditional open surgery.

Endoscopic spine surgery may be suitable for conditions like lumbar disc herniation or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), provided the anatomy and symptoms are appropriate. The benefits often include less blood loss, minimal scarring, and a faster return to normal activity than seen with traditional surgery. Most endoscopic spine surgeries can be performed as outpatient procedures, meaning patients return home the same day, often with just a tiny bandage and a few or no stitches in the skin.

Dr. Peloza chooses and customizes this advanced surgical method based on each patient’s diagnosis and overall health, ensuring a highly personalized and safe approach aimed at pain relief, mobility, and lasting function.

Surgical Interventions

When conservative treatments and minimally invasive procedures haven’t provided sufficient relief from your degenerative disc disease symptoms, Dr. Peloza may recommend surgical interventions to address severe pain and restore your quality of life. His surgical approach prioritizes motion-preserving techniques whenever possible, helping you maintain spinal flexibility while eliminating the source of your discomfort.

Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR)

Dr. Peloza is a recognized expert in artificial disc replacement, an advanced procedure that involves removing a damaged disc and replacing it with a sophisticated artificial implant designed to mimic your spine’s natural movement. Unlike traditional treatments that may limit mobility, ADR preserves the normal motion of your spine while eliminating the pain caused by degenerative disc disease. Dr. Peloza has extensive experience performing both cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) disc replacements, using the latest implant technologies and minimally invasive surgical techniques.

The key advantage of artificial disc replacement over spinal fusion is that it maintains your spine’s flexibility and range of motion. When vertebrae are fused together, they become permanently joined, which can increase stress on the discs above and below the fusion site and potentially accelerate wear in those areas. Dr. Peloza’s ADR procedures preserve natural spinal movement, often reducing the risk of adjacent segment disease (problems developing in the discs next to the treated area). The artificial discs he uses are made from advanced materials designed to last for decades while closely replicating the cushioning and movement of healthy natural discs.

Recovery from Dr. Peloza’s minimally invasive ADR procedures is typically faster than traditional fusion surgery. Most patients experience significant pain relief within weeks and can return to many normal activities relatively quickly. Dr. Peloza provides personalized rehabilitation plans that help you safely regain strength and mobility while protecting your new artificial disc. His extensive experience with these procedures, combined with careful patient selection and advanced surgical techniques, helps ensure optimal outcomes and long-term success for patients who are good candidates for artificial disc replacement.

Spinal Fusion (e.g., Lumbar Interbody Fusion – LIF)

Dr. Peloza offers advanced spinal fusion procedures when other treatments haven’t provided adequate relief from your degenerative disc disease symptoms. Spinal fusion permanently joins two or more vertebrae (the individual bones that make up your spine) to eliminate painful motion at the affected disc level. Dr. Peloza specializes in several fusion techniques, including lumbar interbody fusion (LIF), which involves placing a bone graft or cage device in the space where the damaged disc was removed. This creates a solid bridge of bone between the vertebrae, effectively stopping the painful movement while providing long-term stability to your spine. There are several types of interbody fusions: Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), Oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF), Lateral interbody fusion (XLIF), and Transverse lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Each technique has advantages and disadvantages; therefore, the best technique depends on the clinical situation. Dr. Peloza has extensive experience in all lumbar approaches and teaches surgeons how to do these techniques.

The decision to recommend spinal fusion is one Dr. Peloza makes carefully, typically when conservative treatments and minimally invasive procedures haven’t provided sufficient pain relief, or when there’s significant spinal instability. During the procedure, he removes the damaged disc material and inserts a spacer (often called a cage) filled with bone graft material into the empty disc space. Over time, your body grows new bone around and through this graft, creating a permanent fusion between the vertebrae. Dr. Peloza uses minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, which means smaller incisions, less muscle damage, and faster recovery times compared to traditional open fusion surgery.

While spinal fusion eliminates motion at the treated level, Dr. Peloza’s patients typically experience significant pain relief and improved quality of life. Most people can return to normal daily activities within 3-6 months, though the bone fusion process continues for up to a year after surgery. Dr. Peloza provides comprehensive post-operative care and works closely with physical therapists to help you regain strength and mobility safely. He carefully selects fusion candidates based on factors like age, activity level, and specific symptoms to ensure the best possible outcomes. His extensive experience with various fusion techniques allows him to choose the approach that’s most appropriate for your individual condition and anatomy.

Your Recovery and Long-Term Management of DDD

Recovery from Degenerative Disc Disease treatment depends on the type of treatment received and your individual condition. Dr. Peloza and his team will provide a personalized recovery plan, which may include:

Post-Treatment Care Instructions: Dr. Peloza will outline safe activity levels, teach you how to care for any surgical incision (wound care), and recommend pain-management strategies to support your healing.
Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy: Under the guidance of a licensed physical therapist, you’ll follow a personalized exercise plan to rebuild strength, boost flexibility, and restore function—especially after surgery.
Long-Term Strategies: To keep degenerative disc disease in check, maintain a healthy weight, practice good posture (proper spine alignment), and do regular low-impact exercises (like walking or swimming). Avoid heavy lifting or repetitive twisting. And remember to schedule routine follow-up visits with Dr. Peloza to preserve your spinal health.

Understanding Potential Risks & Dr. Peloza’s Commitment to Safety

All medical treatments carry some level of risk. For DDD treatments, these can include infection, nerve injury, unresolved pain, or, in the case of surgery, complications like implant wear or non-fusion.

Dr. John Peloza is dedicated to minimizing these risks by:

Conducting meticulous pre-treatment evaluations.
Employing advanced, often minimally invasive, surgical techniques.
Using state-of-the-art technology for ultra-precise procedures and improved outcomes.
Providing personalized care and thorough patient education. His extensive experience and commitment to patient safety are paramount in achieving life-changing results.

Why Choose Dr. John Peloza for Your Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment in Chesterfield, MO?

Choosing the right spine surgeon is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your health. Dr. John Peloza brings over 30 years of dedicated experience as an internationally recognized leader in spine surgery, with a special focus on motion-preserving techniques and minimally invasive procedures. His unparalleled expertise in advanced diagnostics and cutting-edge surgical solutions means you are receiving care from someone who has been at the forefront of developing many of the techniques that define modern spine surgery today.

Dr. Peloza’s patient-centered philosophy sets him apart from other spine surgeons. He believes in treating you as a whole person, not just focusing on your spine condition. This means he takes time to understand how your degenerative disc disease affects your daily life, work, and personal goals. Dr. Peloza empowers his patients with knowledge about their condition and treatment options, involving you in every decision so you feel confident and informed throughout your care journey.

The combination of Dr. Peloza’s innovative approach and compassionate care has helped countless patients find lasting relief from pain and return to active lifestyles they thought they’d lost forever. His team provides supportive guidance from your initial consultation through every stage of recovery, ensuring you never feel alone in your treatment process. Dr. Peloza’s proven record of delivering life-changing outcomes, combined with his commitment to staying at the cutting edge of spine surgery advancements, gives you the best possible chance for successful treatment of your degenerative disc disease.

Frequently Asked Questions About Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)

Is Degenerative Disc Disease an inevitable part of aging? While disc degeneration is common with age, not everyone will experience significant pain or require treatment.
Can Degenerative Disc Disease be reversed? The degenerative process itself cannot be reversed, but treatments can effectively manage symptoms, improve function, and slow progression.
How do I know if my back or neck pain is due to DDD? Only a qualified spine specialist like Dr. Peloza can accurately diagnose DDD through a comprehensive evaluation and imaging.
What activities should I avoid if I have DDD? This varies, but generally, high-impact activities or those involving heavy lifting or improper posture may aggravate symptoms. Dr. Peloza can provide personalized advice.
Is surgery always necessary for DDD? No, many patients find significant relief with non-surgical treatments. Dr. Peloza considers surgery only when conservative options are insufficient.
How long is the recovery after DDD surgery? Recovery times vary widely depending on the type of surgery and individual factors, typically ranging from weeks to months.

Comprehensive Spine Care Services Offered by Dr. John Peloza

Beyond Degenerative Disc Disease, Dr. Peloza provides expert care for a wide spectrum of spine conditions. His services include:

Motion-Preserving Spine Surgery
Artificial Disc Replacement (Cervical and Lumbar)
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Treatment for Herniated Discs and Bulging Discs
Spinal Stenosis Treatment
Spondylolisthesis Treatment
Microdiscectomy
Laminectomy
Kyphoplasty
Spinal Fusion Procedures, including Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Scoliosis Surgery and Spinal Deformity Correction
Non-surgical Pain Management Solutions

Take the First Step Towards Relief: Schedule Your Consultation with Dr. Peloza

If Degenerative Disc Disease is causing you pain and limiting your life, don’t wait any longer to seek expert care. Dr. John Peloza is committed to providing advanced, compassionate, and effective treatments tailored to your unique needs.

Contact us today to schedule your comprehensive evaluation at our Chesterfield, MO, office and discover your path to a pain-free, active future.