A degenerative disc disease diagnosis can feel alarming, but the name is more frightening than the condition often warrants. Despite containing the word “disease,” it is not a traditional illness — it is a description of how the intervertebral discs in your spine naturally change over time. These discs, which act as cushions between your vertebrae, gradually lose water content and structural integrity as you age, reducing their ability to absorb shock and maintain spacing between spinal bones. For some people this process is entirely painless. For others, it becomes a significant source of chronic discomfort and disability.
