Thoracic & Lumbar Spine Degeneration?

Hi Folks,

I am really looking for some guidance as this is new territory for me and I am not sure what I should do next.

I am a 30 year old female and for the past year I have been having a pain in my thoracic spine.  It basically feels really tight and stiff and gets worse if I am out walking around for more than an hour.   Occassionaly wake up with numb hands or get tingling in my legs.  I had x-rays done in July that showed minor degenerative changes in the thoracic spine.  My doctor said this is pretty common and not to be that concerned about it.  I went to physical therapy to help with the pain and after 2 months I am not better.  I have awful knots in the muscle one side of my spine.   This week I had another x-ray done for my yearly kidney stone checkup and the report came back with minor hypotrophic degenerative changes in the lumbar spine.  I have had this exact KUB x-ray several times and the most recent before this week was exactly a year ago right when the pain started in my back.  The x-ray last year did not have any mention of degeneration.  I also have joint pain in my hands and feet and occasionally knees and hips.  I am currently under the care of rheumatoidologist because the assumption is that this joint pain is related to inflammatory bowel disease which I was just diagnosed with this year as well.  

1.  Is it normal/common to have degeneration in both the thoracic and lumbar spine?
2.  Does hypertrophic just mean swelling?
3.  Does anyone else get knots in the muscles as a response to degeneration?
4.  What other tests do I need?

I appreciate your help!

Thank You

[medicalmom01]

I have the same thing, lumbar spinal degeneration which causes pain when walking far, or standing up to long.  I also have a pinched nerve in my neck that causes my hands to tingle until i move my neck just right, and it goes away.  I had a facet rizotomy and have no more pain in my back.  Out patient surgery, about 20 min, they do 3 injections in the lumbar region with a floroscope to find the right location, and burn the nerve endings so there is no more pain.  I was sedated for this, since I am a "baby". and have no more pain.  Not all Dr's are qualified to do this.  Check this out on the internet and it will give you a more in depth.              Hypertrophy is the increase of the size of an organ or in a select area of the tissue.