Degenerative disc disease

What is degenerative disc disease?

Degenerative disc disease is part of the natural process of aging. It may also be due to structural damage. Intervertebral discs lose their flexibility, elasticity, and shock absorbing characteristics, ligaments that surround the disc become brittle and the disc starts to dry out and shrink.

How do members experience degenerative disc disease?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with degenerative disc disease*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Are you experiencing one or more of these symptoms? Check your symptoms and clarify your options for care using

Top treatments taken by people for degenerative disc disease*

*Data from patients with degenerative disc disease, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with degenerative disc disease*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Outpatient PT)
Perceived effectiveness
for degenerative disc disease (2 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
degenerative disc disease (11)
Treatment

(Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection)
Perceived effectiveness
for degenerative disc disease (2 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
degenerative disc disease (10)
Treatment

(Ibuprofen Prescription)
Perceived effectiveness
for degenerative disc disease (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
degenerative disc disease (7)

*Data from patients with degenerative disc disease, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has degenerative disc disease on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 0
20s 43
30s 307
40s 1,195
50s 2,342
60s 2,203
70+ 856

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 838
Female 6,045
Learn more about our community’s experience with degenerative disc disease.

Talk to people with degenerative disc disease

7,191

7K+

members say they have this condition

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Muscles, Bones and Joints

Learn from others like you living with degenerative disc disease.
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