Who else is on "injured reserve?"

[5bass]

Dude.......................................You win.

What he said......I'm starting to feel the tennis elbow coming back as the worm/jig bite has kicked back in.I can get away with c-rig,spinnerbait and crankbait hooksets but the hard sets with the jigs and worms are tweaking my elbow again.The last cortisone shot (Jan.) is holding up well though.

[Valascus]

That is a very GOOD question.One that I haven't had answered to my satisfaction.Also it's the reason I haven't gone under the knife yet.I get the ole "you'll be like this the rest of your life and will have to get used to it.The patches do make it managable,though.Degenerative Disc diesease is hereditary.My Grandmother,Father,Aunt,and Sister all have/had it.Basically,the discs are disintegrating and no medicine or surgery can stop it.With surgery,I'd be getting rid of one pain but creating another,according to my surgeon.

Wow...I am really sorry to hear that RR.  At least you are still able to fish, but man...that just sounds really rough. Hereditary huh? I don't know how good the stem cell research initiative in the state of Louisiana is, but in my very limited understanding of it some genetic disorders can be treated usin some methods in that field. Could be something worth looking into.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Well Now I did it! I was throwin a Rapla into the shallows and treed it. So I go onshoe get it out and didnt see the &^^%%**&POISON IVY and now

MY LEGS ARE COVERED  OCEANS AND OCEANS OF CALAMINE LOTIONS  :'(

[KenDammit28]

about the only cause I've heard commonly associated with DDD is aging....and no one wants to get old :\  After reading more about it, I think maybe I'm headed down that road, but I sure hope not.

[Muddpuppy]

One big problem with doing surgery on degenrative disks is that once they are fused together it tends to transfer more pressure onto the weaker disks above and below the ones that were the main sorce of the problem in the first place and then it gradually stair steps out from there. Finding the exact disks that are the source of pain is sometimes anouther major problem. I think most people suffer from it to a small degree over the years, but age isn't always a requirement, back abuse and injuries tend to hasten the condition. It took me out of the running when I was 36, allthough some of mine was possibly due to a para thyroid gland absorbing calcium from the bones. There are a few things that can help with pain at least to a degree even if it fairly tempory in some cases if it involves the nerves. I have seen a few people that recieved some relief from some of the non surgical procedures if it's not severe. RR are those the Fentanyl Patches? I tried those a few years ago and they about ate my lunch, but still get along pretty good with meds.