Lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) is defined simply as the wear and tear of the intervertebral disc, which may result from normal aging or be due to longstanding trauma. It involves small tears in the annulus of the disc (elastic outer ring of collagen fibers) and lack of water content of the nucleus of the disc (soft gel center). The degenerative cascade can lead to disc bulging, development of bone spurs (or osteophytes), and loss of disc space height and/or alignment, which can cause nerve impingement. DDD can also lead to degenerative instability, the loss of the ability of the spine under physiologic loads to maintain its pattern of normal movement due to disc degeneration.
Symptoms
- Pain at the site of the injury
- Pain, numbness, or tingling in the legs
- Strong pain that tends to come and go
- Pain is worse when bending, twisting, and/or sitting
- Lying down relieves pressure on the spine
Diagnosing Degenerative Disc Disease
Your doctor will perform a physical examination to identify areas of pain and weakness, and will evaluate your balance and the overall movement of your spine. Your doctor will also collect information about the history of your symptoms, including medicine you have taken for your condition. After your examination, your doctor may use tests to help establish his or her diagnosis. Some of these tests include X-Ray, CT (computed tomography) scan, and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Together, all of these techniques help to confirm a diagnosis of lumbar DDD.
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