---
title: "Degenerative Disc Disease"
---
## First, the Name Is Misleading
If you have recently been told you have degenerative disc disease, you probably left that appointment more worried than informed. The name sounds catastrophic. It suggests something is breaking down inside your spine and the situation is only going to get worse.
Here is what the name actually means: the discs between the bones of your spine show normal age-related changes. Almost everyone develops some degree of this by their 30s or 40s, and many people have it on imaging without ever feeling a thing. It is not technically a disease. The word "disease" in the name is unfortunate medical history, not an accurate description of what is happening in your back.
That said, your pain is real. Some patients with disc changes never have symptoms; others have significant pain. The question is not whether your imaging looks abnormal, because it almost certainly does at any age past 30. The question is whether the changes on your imaging match the pain you are experiencing, and what to do about it.
## What's Actually Happening in Your Spine
Your spinal discs sit between each pair of vertebrae and act as cushions, with a tough outer layer and a softer, gel-like center. Over time, the discs lose water content and become less flexible. The outer layer can develop small tears, and the disc may flatten, narrow the space between vertebrae, or shift slightly.
These changes are part of normal aging, and most people with disc changes have no pain at all. But for some patients, these changes contribute to inflammation, instability, or nerve irritation that produces real symptoms. The pattern depends on which discs are affected: lower back pain that worsens with sitting and improves when you stand or walk is common, as is pain that increases with bending forward and lifting. Some patients also experience radiating pain or numbness when disc changes irritate nearby nerves.
## When Disc Changes Actually Need Treatment
Not every disc change requires treatment. The decision depends on whether your symptoms are interfering with your life, not what your MRI looks like.
Consider professional evaluation when your back pain has lasted more than six weeks without improvement, when the pain interferes with sleep, work, or daily activities, when you experience radiating pain, numbness, or tingling into a leg or arm, when conservative treatments have not provided lasting relief, or when you want to address the underlying issue rather than continuing to manage symptoms with medication.
## How PHI Approaches Degenerative Disc Disease
The most important step is identifying which symptoms are actually coming from your disc changes and which might be coming from something else. Many patients with disc changes on imaging actually have pain coming from facet joints, sacroiliac joints, or muscle tension that imaging does not capture clearly.
Your physician evaluates your specific pain pattern, reviews your imaging, and sometimes uses diagnostic injections to confirm the actual source. For pain driven by inflammation around the disc and surrounding nerves, anti-inflammatory injections often produce significant relief. For vertebrogenic pain, a specific source where pain travels through the basivertebral nerve from changes in the vertebral endplate, the Intracept Procedure is a single-treatment option with multi-year results. For patients seeking to address the underlying disc tissue, regenerative options including PRP, A2M, and stem cell therapy may be appropriate. There is rarely a single correct answer, and we walk through the options at consultation rather than pushing every patient toward the same treatment.
## Why PHI for Degenerative Disc Disease
## Frequently Asked Questions
**Q: Is degenerative disc disease really a disease?**
Not in the way most diseases work. The name comes from medical convention, not from the actual nature of the changes. Disc changes are extremely common, develop in most people with age, and often produce no symptoms at all. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms are real, but the underlying changes are not progressive in the way a true disease would be.
**Q: Will my disc changes get worse?**
Disc changes generally progress slowly over years and decades. Some patients experience worsening symptoms over time; many remain stable for years. Your physician can give you a more specific assessment based on your imaging and current symptoms.
**Q: Do I need surgery?**
Most patients with disc changes do not need surgery. The vast majority find meaningful relief through non-surgical approaches including injections, the Intracept Procedure, regenerative medicine, and physical therapy. Surgery is reserved for specific situations and considered after non-surgical options have been thoroughly tried.
**Q: My MRI looks bad. Does that mean my pain is severe?**
Not necessarily. Imaging findings do not always correlate with symptoms. Many people have significant disc changes on imaging without any pain; others have severe pain with relatively mild findings. Your physician evaluates the relationship between your imaging and your actual symptoms, which is often more useful than the imaging report alone.
**Q: Will my disc heal on its own?**
Acute disc inflammation often improves over weeks to months. The underlying disc changes generally do not reverse, but the symptoms they produce can resolve significantly. The goal of most treatments is to reduce inflammation, address pain, and support the surrounding tissues so the disc can stabilize at a comfortable level.
**Q: Can I keep exercising with degenerative disc disease?**
In most cases yes, often with some modifications. Physical activity is one of the most consistent positive factors for disc-related back pain. The specific activities and intensities depend on your situation, and your physician can guide you on what to continue, modify, and add.
**Q: How long does treatment take to work?**
This varies by treatment. Injections often produce relief within days to a few weeks. The Intracept Procedure produces gradual improvement over several weeks. Regenerative options work over several months. Your physician will set specific expectations based on the treatment recommended.
**Q: Will I need to repeat treatment?**
This depends on the treatment. Injections sometimes need repeating every several months. The Intracept Procedure is typically a single treatment with multi-year benefit. Regenerative protocols sometimes involve a series followed by maintenance. Your physician will discuss the typical course for your recommendation.
**Q: Do you take insurance?**
Insurance coverage and payment options may vary. We provide documentation for you to seek reimbursement through your out-of-network benefits, which may apply to certain services. All pricing is disclosed at consultation.
**Q: Do you accept international patients?**
Yes. PHI regularly treats patients from outside Los Angeles, including Las Vegas, Palm Springs, London, and other international locations.
## Treatments We Offer for Degenerative Disc Disease
PHI offers the full range of evidence-based treatments for degenerative disc disease. Your physician will recommend the right option, or combination, based on your imaging, the source of your pain, and your treatment history.
- Intracept Procedure, a single-treatment option for vertebrogenic disc pain
- Epidural Steroid Injections, for inflammation-driven and radiating pain
- PRP Therapy
- Stem Cell Therapy
- A2M Therapy
- Exosome Therapy
> Epidural steroids for cervical and lumbar radicular pain and spinal stenosis: systematic review summary. Peer-reviewed via PMC, 2022.
— [American Academy of Neurology Guidelines Subcommittee](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12289388/)
> A prospective, randomized, multicenter study of intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation for the treatment of chronic low back pain. The Spine Journal.
— [Khalil JG, et al.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31229663/)
## Schedule Your Degenerative Disc Disease Consultation
A 60-minute consultation will identify whether your disc changes are actually causing your symptoms, walk through the treatment options that match your situation, and give you a clear plan. Call (310) 856-9488 or book online now.
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