As we age, our bodies get weaker and weaker. This is when we feel unnecessary pains that we’ve never experienced before during our younger years. Aging significantly affects the way our body functions, especially our spinal cord. If our standing or twisting is accompanied by a slight to extreme pain, considering our age and our lifestyle, let us not rule out the possibility of having Degenerative Disc Disease. To debunk the first misconception, it is not a disease. Degenerative Disc Disease is a condition that is caused by a relatively thin disc. The thinning of the discs is due to the lack of fluid, which causes them to be less flexible too. Often times, the lack of fluid may also cause the discs to completely rupture.

Demographically, most older men and women have developed this condition over time. However, there are also people who may acquire this condition as early as their 20s. Which leads us to the question: Is degenerative disc disease hereditary? To answer the question, this condition has nothing to do with our DNA or bloodline. It does not run in the family and it cannot be passed from generation to generation. The risks of having a degenerated disc are only intensified by many factors that we have control over, such as body weight, posture, smoking, lifestyle, and exercise. If we further improve these aspects, then we can reduce or slow the risk of having this condition.

Symptoms may also manifest or not, and it varies from patient to patient. Some may experience no pain at all and some may have slight to excessive pain, especially in the lower back. Patients diagnosed with DDD may also feel tingling or numbness in their arms and legs. These symptoms may be eased by having clinically approved medications and injections and some steps that we can do at home, such as exercising, dieting, quitting smoking, and changing our lifestyle. It is also advisable not to spend excessive hours sitting, as this can also contribute to the thinning of the discs. From the abovementioned factors, it is unfair if we purely rely on the occurrence of this disease to genetic influences, especially when the factors have something to do with the way we live our lives. As we read this article about degenerative disc disease, may we all realize that we need to start making informed decisions and choices to combat the risk of not only having degenerative diseases, but also other health conditions.