What is degenerative disc disease?

Many patients diagnosed with back pain caused by degenerative disc disease are left wondering exactly what this diagnosis means for them. Common questions that may be on a patient’s mind include:

• If I have low back pain from degenerative disc disease in my thirties, how much worse will it become with age?
• Will the degenerative disc disease become a crippling condition?
• Should I restrict my activities?
• Can I still play sports?
• Will the degenerative disc disease spread to other parts of the spine?
• Will the low back pain from degenerative disc disease cause any permanent damage?

Answers about degenerative disc disease

Part of the confusion probably comes from the term "degenerative", which implies that it will get worse with age. While the disc degeneration is likely to progress over time, the associated pain from degenerative disc disease usually does not get worse and in fact usually gets better over time.

Another source of confusion is probably created by the term "disease", which is actually a misnomer. Degenerative disc disease is actually not a disease at all, but rather a degenerative condition that at times can produce pain from a damaged disc. Degenerative disc disease is quite variable in its nature and severity. With age, all people will exhibit changes in their discs consistent with degeneration. However, not all people will develop symptoms.

Finally, some of the confusion surrounding degenerative disc disease probably comes from the medical community, as few medical professionals have yet to agree on what the phrase describes. Because few practitioners agree on what does and does not constitute a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, very few medical textbooks even attempt to give an accurate description. Therefore, while many practitioners believe that degenerative disc disease is a common cause of low back pain in young adults, very few agree on the implications.

While there is still a lot of debate in the medical community about degenerative disc disease, a few aspects of the condition are known. This article will discuss some of the aspects of degenerative disc disease that are more commonly accepted, such as the theory of the degenerative cascade, as well as some areas of theory that are still a source of debate in the medical community.

Source: RefillPill.com Editors' Choice