Article updated and reviewed by Scott J. Luhmann, MD, Instructor in Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine on June 6, 2005.
Degenerative disc disease refers to wear changes in the individual discs of the spine in any part of the spine.
Spondylosis is another term for degenerative disc disease.
DDD can affect any part of the spine, although common sites are the lumbar (lower back) and cervical (neck) spine; thoracic DDD is very uncommon.
Radiographic (
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