Degenerative Disc Diseases (DDD)
Degenerate Disc Disease typically is associated with aging. As you age, your discs, along with the other joints in the body, can degenerate. Degenerate Disc Disease also can occur in people with prematurely aging spines, some as young as 20 years old. With DDD, discs in the spine lose height, resulting in nerve pathways narrowing and causing nerve impingement, inflammation, compression, and, therefore, pain. Lumbar degenerative disease, often referred to as lumbago, causes localized pain in the lower back and is common in older people. Degenerative arthritis also can cause lumbar pain. Sometimes, patients have difficulty with manual dexterity or walking.