Degenerative disc disease describes changes in the cushions between spinal bones. Discs may lose water and height over time, but these changes do not always cause pain or steadily worsen. The term does not, by itself, establish why you hurt.
Assessment focuses on your symptoms and function as well as examination findings. See Mayo Clinic’s overview.
The cervical spine is the neck, the thoracic spine is the mid-back and the lumbar spine is the lower back. The sacrum and coccyx form the base of the spine. Discs, joints, muscles and ligaments work together to support movement.
Discs cushion movement between vertebrae. Changes in a disc may coexist with a bulge or herniation. Whether a nerve is affected, and whether the findings match your symptoms, matters more than the label alone.
Facet joints connect the back of adjacent vertebrae and guide spinal movement. Joint changes may occur alongside disc changes; an examination helps assess the possible sources of symptoms.
Your back also has tendons, muscles, blood vessels, and ligaments. Tendons join the muscles and bones. Muscles are the strands of tissues that help the body move. Blood vessels transport blood throughout the body. Ligaments are flexible bands of connective tissues. They all work together in order for your body to freely move.
Age, inherited factors and loading of the spine can contribute to disc changes. Symptoms and progression vary from person to person. Disc degeneration is not a guarantee of severe pain or disability.
Discuss a gradual, manageable activity and exercise plan with your clinician. Avoid prolonged bed rest. Adjust activities that aggravate symptoms and build back toward daily tasks as tolerated.
Treatment should be based on your symptoms, examination and goals. Conservative options may include exercise, activity advice and other care coordinated with your healthcare team. Chiropractic care cannot promise to reverse disc degeneration or eliminate the need for surgery.
NICE low-back-pain guidance considers manual therapy alongside exercise and recommends against routine imaging outside specialist settings. Imaging is considered when it would change management.
Seek emergency care for new bladder or bowel dysfunction, groin numbness or loss of feeling in the legs. Progressive weakness requires prompt medical assessment.
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