Back Pain and Degenerative Disc Disease

Your spine is made up of several bones called vertebrae. These bones are stacked upon each other and are connected by ligaments. Muscles attach to the bones by tendons, and the entire system creates a strong, flexible, and dynamic organ. Between each vertebra, there is a flexible cushion called a disc that helps each vertebra move smoothly in relation to the adjacent vertebrae. As we live and age, these discs age, become less flexible, get damaged, and become lumpy. When this happens, we call it degenerative disc disease (DDD). This causes pain and stiffness and can sometimes pinch nerves and even the spinal cord. Other causes of back pain can be from tears, sprains, or fractures of different parts of the spinal column and adjacent muscles and connective tissue.