What is Degenerative Disc Disease? Story Comments ShareShare Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Enser Posted: Friday, November 28, 2014 12:15 am Editorial Assistant Posted on Nov 28, 2014 by Editorial Assistant Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is one of the most common causes of neck and low back pain and is often misunderstood. This leaves the one in pain wondering exactly what this means for them and their future. The diagnosis of Degenerative Disc Disease may imply a disease that will get worse over time. In fact, it is not really a disease at all. It is actually a natural part of aging, and over time, all people will exhibit changes in their discs. The degenerative changes in the disc can be quite painful at first, but the pain usually diminishes over time as the disc stabilizes. As stated before, it is the most common reason for neck and lower back pain, as these areas of the spine have the most motion and are therefore the most susceptible to wear and tear. In general, the most common course of symptoms with DDD is periodic flare-ups of symptoms, but overall the symptoms don’t progress over time. Between each vertebra is a disc made of a tough, fibrous outer layer and an inner core of thick, jelly-like fluid. It is often described as being like a jelly doughnut or an inner tube filled with air. Its purpose is to act as a shock absorber and cushion the spine during movement. A healthy, young
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 13:59:05 +0000