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.

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 (8)

*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 1
20s 41
30s 318
40s 1,211
50s 2,344
60s 2,176
70+ 840

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 836
Female 6,032

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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.



Common symptoms reported by people with degenerative disc disease

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

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.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for degenerative disc disease

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Outpatient PT)
Type
Physical Therapy
How many have tried
1,771
Tried for
degenerative disc disease (11)
Treatment name(s)

(Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
149
Tried for
degenerative disc disease (10)
Treatment name(s)

(Ibuprofen Prescription)
Type
Over the Counter Drug
How many have tried
1,821

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


Compare treatments taken by people with degenerative disc disease

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

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

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

(Ibuprofen Prescription)
Perceived effectiveness
for degenerative disc disease (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

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



Who has degenerative disc disease on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 13 new patients joined this month
  • 1,170 say degenerative disc disease is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 1
20s 41
30s 318
40s 1,211
50s 2,344
60s 2,176
70+ 840
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 265
20-29 years 804
30-39 years 1,078
40-49 years 828
50-59 years 300
60-69 years 44
70+ years 4

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 836
Female 6,032

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 4,438
Not Diagnosed 44

These charts show data from degenerative disc disease patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: