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Your spine comprises 33 vertebrae with discs between each to provide proper cushioning and mobility throughout your back. The discs can lose their flexibility, elasticity, and cushioning properties with age or injury. This can lead to symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility. This is what is known as degenerative disc disease. Despite its name, it is not a disease in itself, as it is usually caused by aging or trauma rather than abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system.
Degenerative disc disease develops when minute tears develop in the disc wall, resulting in discomfort. They repair by forming scar tissue, which is not as robust as the preceding material in the disc wall. Eventually, this tissue may deteriorate, resulting in the disc center breaking down. The unnatural positioning of the vertebrae might lead to the formation of bone spurs. Nerve roots are commonly pinched, causing severe pain.
Potential causes of degenerative disc disease include:
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