Living with degenerative disk disease (DDD) can make even the simplest tasks difficult. It can impact your work, sleep and daily activities. Although it is a common part of the aging process, you can manage DDD through lifestyle changes, pain relief methods or surgery if needed.
At Banner Health, our spine specialists diagnose and treat neck and back conditions with a personalized plan. They consider your symptoms, lifestyle and goals. Our goal is to help you reduce pain, stay active and get back to doing the things you enjoy.
Degenerative disk disease happens when one or more spinal disks change as you get older. These disks are located between the bones of your spine, called vertebrae. They act like cushions, absorbing shock and helping your spine bend, twist and move easily.
As disks age, they may:
Degenerative disk disease can affect any part of the spine but is most common in the:
When degeneration affects the cervical spine, symptoms may include:
The lumbar spine supports much of your body’s weight, making it another common area for disk changes.
Symptoms may include:
Not everyone with DDD has symptoms. When symptoms develop, they might come and go. Some people have times when symptoms get worse, then weeks or months with little or no pain.
Common symptoms include:
If nearby nerves become irritated, you may also experience:
These symptoms may indicate another condition, such as a herniated disk, spinal stenosis or pinched nerve, in addition to disk degeneration.
Seek emergency care right away if back or neck symptoms come with:
The most common cause is normal aging. Over time, spinal disks naturally lose water and flexibility. As this happens, they become less effective at cushioning the spine
Other factors that may increase the risk include:
These risk factors may increase the likelihood of symptoms but they don’t necessarily cause pain.
Several spine conditions can cause neck or back pain. While they may occur together, they are not the same.
Degenerative disk disease refers to changes in a spinal disk over time. A herniated disk happens when the outer layer of a disk tears or weakens, allowing the soft inner material to bulge outward. This bulging disk may press on a nearby nerve.
It often causes:
Many people with DDD never develop a herniated disk.
While DDD affects the spinal disks, spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spaces around the spinal cord or spinal nerves. DDD can contribute to spinal stenosis but not everyone with disk degeneration develops it.
Sciatica is not a problem with the disks in the spine. It is pain that follows the sciatic nerve, usually starting in the lower back and moving through the buttocks down one leg.
Degenerative disk disease does not always cause sciatica. But if the disk changes put pressure on a nerve, sciatica can happen.
Degenerative disk disease and spinal arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis or facet joint arthritis, become more common as people age. They often occur together but affect different parts of the spine. Degenerative disk disease affects the disks between the bones of the spine, while spinal arthritis affects the joints that connect these bones.
Your health care provider will start by asking about your symptoms, medical history and activity level before performing a physical exam.
During the exam, they may evaluate:
Your provider may recommend imaging or other tests to see the state and alignment of your disks. Tests may include:
Learn more about spine testing and diagnosis.
Most people improve without surgery. Treatment focuses on reducing pain, improving movement and helping you stay active.
Your provider may recommend one or more of the following:
Surgery is not the first treatment for degenerative disk diseases. But if you’ve tried different nonsurgical options without success and still have ongoing pain or weakness, surgery might be a good choice.
Your spinal surgeon may use one of a few types of spinal surgeries. The specific procedure depends on the location and cause of symptoms.
Learn more about spine surgery types and treatments.
Talk to a provider if neck or back pain:
A spine specialist can help determine whether symptoms are related to disk degeneration, a herniated disk, spinal stenosis, nerve compression or another condition.
Banner Health’s spine specialists provide personalized care for neck and back conditions, including degenerative disk disease.
Our team includes experts in neurosurgery, orthopedics, neurology, physical therapy and pain management who work together to develop a treatment plan based on your symptoms, lifestyle and goals.
We focus on conservative care whenever possible and recommend surgery only when it’s the best option for relieving symptoms and improving function.
Despite its name, degenerative disk disease isn't actually a disease. It simply describes normal changes in the spinal disks that happen as people age.
No. Many people have degenerative changes on MRI or X-ray images but never develop symptoms.
Although age-related changes in the disks can't be reversed, symptoms often get better with physical therapy, exercise, medicines and other nonsurgical treatments.
Degenerative disk disease is when the disk inside your spine changes as you age. A herniated disk happens when part of the disk pushes out or tears, and it can press on nearby nerves.
Sometimes, degenerative changes can put pressure on nerves in the lower back. This can cause sciatica, which is pain that runs down the leg.
Most people don't need surgery. Usually, nonsurgical treatments are suggested first. Surgery might be needed if symptoms don't get better or if nerve compression causes weakness or major loss of function.
Yes. Regular exercise and physical therapy can make the muscles around your spine stronger, help you move more easily and lessen pain. Your doctor or physical therapist can suggest activities that are safe and work well for your condition.
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