Degenerative disc disease describes a condition in which a worn disc causes pain.

Most discs become more fragile with age.

More than 90% of people have some signs of the problem by the age of 60.

This article describes degenerative disc disease symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

Types of Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease can occur at all points on the spine.

The most common symptom isback painin the lower back or neck, ranging from mild to severe.

These discs support the bones and cushion movement.

With disc degeneration, the disc tissue flattens and spreads sideways.

It can also press on spinal nerves, causing the back pain or weakness that defines this condition.

When the disc is damaged, it can’t repair itself, so it starts to deteriorate.

Treatment can vary based on the extent of your symptoms and the location of the damaged disc.

Limit applications to 20-minute intervals.

These injections include a combination of the steroidcortisoneand alocal anestheticadministered through the back into theepidural space.

When you perform the right exercises safely, the release ofendorphinscan reduce existing pain.

When disc degeneration begins, there is no stopping or reversing it.

However, most people can undergo treatment for degenerative disc disease pain without surgery or disc replacement.

If left untreated, the condition can lead to permanent damage and debilitating pain.

The result can affect your quality of life and interfere with your ability to perform normal activities.

The following problems can occur without treatment:

Coping

Degenerative disc disease is a chronic condition.

Symptoms may come and go often, regardless of the key in of treatment administered.

Establishing and maintaining a treatment program that includes exercise and a healthy lifestyle can help you obtain good results.

It most often happens as a result of aging.

The problem reduces the flexibility and height of the disc.

Most people benefit from conservative treatment.

Surgery can often provide long-term relief for severe symptoms.

Columbia University Irving Medical Center.Degenerative disc disease.

UCLA Health.Thoracic disc degeneration.

UCLA Health.Degenerative disc disease.

Arthritis Foundation.Degenerative disc disease.

International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery.Non-surgical spine treatments.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Spinal fusion.

Yale Medicine.Artificial disk replacement surgery.

Oregon Heath & Science University Spine Center.Disc degeneration.

Penn Medicine.4 ways disc degeneration can cause back pain as you age.

NYU Langone Health.Recovery & support for degenerative disc disease.