Disc Degeneration: What Is It?

That is what most people do: live with disc degeneration comfortably. Change is inevitable and the body is able to adapt to the natural deterioration of the spine. Naturally, the spine will remain asymptomatic over a lifetime. But when pain strikes, it is important to make the distinction between "symptomatic" disc degeneration and "asymptomatic" disc degeneration because this distinction will point to the actual issue causing pain called the pain generator. Spinal disc degeneration is only the snowball at the top of the hill waiting to cause an avalanche of painful, secondary problems. Knowing the risks for tipping this "snowball" over the edge is how solutions for spine pain are discovered. Since researchers have laid the ground work of definitions, causes, and risks, everyone can now look forward to treatment and prevention which lie just around the corner.