Degenerative Disc Disease

Home » Degenerative Disc Disease: Symptoms & Treatment | TownsvilleWritten by Dr Daryl Ansell | Reviewed by Dr Robert Foster | Last reviewed August 2026

Can Chiropractic Help Degenerative Disc Disease?

Quick Answer: Degenerative disc disease describes age-related changes within the spinal discs. Chiropractic care cannot reverse or regenerate these changes, but it may help some people manage associated mechanical back or neck pain, stiffness and reduced movement when chiropractic care is appropriate. Treatment should be based on your symptoms and examination rather than the appearance of degeneration on an X-ray or MRI alone.

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is not actually a disease. It is a term used to describe changes that occur within the spinal discs, particularly as we get older.

Disc degeneration is extremely common and can be seen on imaging in people both with and without pain. Finding degenerative changes on an X-ray or MRI therefore does not automatically mean they are the cause of your back pain or neck pain.

When degenerative changes are relevant to a person’s symptoms, they may be associated with mechanical back or neck pain, stiffness, reduced movement or, in some cases, irritation of nearby nerves.

This guide explains what degenerative disc disease means, why spinal discs change, possible symptoms, how it differs from a bulging disc, when imaging may be useful and the conservative and medical treatment options that may be considered.

What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Spinal discs sit between the vertebrae and help distribute load while allowing the spine to bend and move. Each disc contains a softer central region called the nucleus pulposus, surrounded by a stronger fibrous outer layer called the annulus fibrosus.

As discs age, they commonly lose some water content and may become thinner and less flexible. Changes can include:

• reduced disc hydration, sometimes called disc desiccation
• loss of disc height
• changes or fissures within the outer disc fibres
• disc bulging
• changes in how load is distributed through nearby spinal joints

These changes are commonly part of spinal ageing and do not necessarily cause pain.

Degenerative changes are frequently found in the lumbar spine (lower back) and cervical spine (neck), although they can occur at other spinal levels.

For a more detailed explanation of spinal disc anatomy, disc bulges, herniation and MRI findings, see our Bulging Disc Guide.

Is Degenerative Disc Disease Really a Disease?

Despite its name, degenerative disc disease is generally better understood as a description of changes within spinal discs rather than a disease in the usual sense.

Disc structure changes throughout adult life. Loss of hydration, reduced disc height and other degenerative findings become increasingly common with age.

This distinction matters because words such as “degeneration” and “disease” can sound alarming. An imaging report describing degenerative discs does not mean your spine is damaged beyond repair or that pain will inevitably worsen.

Many people with degenerative changes remain active and experience little or no pain.

Does Disc Degeneration Always Cause Pain?

No. Degenerative disc changes can be present without causing symptoms.

X-rays and MRI scans frequently identify age-related spinal changes in people who have no back or neck pain. This is why an imaging result needs to be interpreted alongside your symptoms and physical examination.

When degenerative changes do appear to be clinically relevant, pain may arise from a combination of structures rather than the disc alone. Nearby spinal joints, muscles and nerves may also contribute.

The aim of assessment is therefore not simply to find degeneration on a scan, but to determine whether the findings are likely to help explain your symptoms and whether they change how the problem should be managed.

What Contributes to Disc Degeneration?

Disc degeneration usually develops gradually and is influenced by several factors rather than one particular activity or posture.

Factors associated with degenerative disc changes may include:

• Age: disc hydration and structure naturally change over time.
• Genetics: inherited factors can influence how early and to what extent disc degeneration develops.
• Previous spinal injury: significant previous injury may contribute to changes within a disc.
• Smoking: smoking is associated with poorer disc health and accelerated degenerative change.
• General health and lifestyle factors: overall physical health may influence spinal function and a person’s ability to tolerate load and activity.
• Other spinal changes: disc degeneration can occur alongside facet joint arthritis, disc bulging, spinal stenosis and other age-related changes.

Normal sitting, bending or everyday movement should not automatically be viewed as damaging your discs. Remaining active and maintaining physical capacity are generally more useful long-term strategies than becoming fearful of normal spinal movement.

What Are the Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease?

Disc degeneration itself may cause no symptoms at all. When degenerative changes are thought to be contributing to a person’s problem, symptoms vary according to the spinal region involved and whether nearby joints or nerves are also affected.

Mechanical Back or Neck Symptoms

Possible symptoms may include:

• low back or neck pain
• stiffness, particularly after periods of inactivity
• reduced comfortable spinal movement
• pain that changes with certain movements, positions or loads
• muscle tightness or guarding during a flare-up

Nerve-Related Symptoms

Symptoms such as the following suggest that a nerve may also be irritated or compressed rather than disc degeneration alone:

• pain travelling into an arm or leg
• tingling or numbness
• burning or altered sensation
• weakness or heaviness in an arm or leg

For more information about these symptoms, see our Pinched Nerve Guide or our guide to Sciatica.

Degenerative Disc Disease vs Bulging Disc: What’s the Difference?

Degenerative disc disease and a bulging disc are related but they are not the same thing.

Degenerative disc disease describes changes that occur within a disc over time, such as reduced hydration, loss of disc height and changes within the outer disc fibres.

A bulging disc describes the shape of a disc when part of its outer boundary extends beyond its usual position.

A degenerative disc may develop a bulge, but not every degenerative disc is significantly bulging and not every disc bulge causes pain.

Similarly, finding either disc degeneration or a disc bulge on MRI does not automatically identify the source of a person’s symptoms.

Our Bulging Disc Guide explains disc bulges, herniations, MRI terminology and nerve involvement in more detail.

How Is Degenerative Disc Disease Diagnosed?

Assessment involves determining whether degenerative changes are actually relevant to your symptoms rather than simply identifying them on an imaging report.

1. History: We review when your symptoms began, where they are felt or travel, what movements or activities aggravate or relieve them, previous episodes and whether you have numbness, tingling or weakness.

2. Physical examination: We assess spinal movement, function and other relevant musculoskeletal findings.

3. Neurological examination: When nerve involvement is suspected, strength, sensation, reflexes and other neurological findings may be assessed.

4. Imaging: X-rays, MRI or other imaging may be considered when the result is likely to influence diagnosis, treatment or referral decisions. MRI can show the degree of degeneration — such as disc height loss or reduced hydration — but this does not reliably predict how much pain or disability a person will experience.

At Ansell Chiropractic Centre, imaging is not used in isolation. Degenerative findings are common in people without pain, so any X-ray or MRI findings need to be considered alongside your symptoms and examination.

For low back pain with or without sciatica, imaging is generally considered only when it is likely to change management; routine scans are not recommended in non-specialist care.

For more information, see When Do You Need an MRI?

What Are the Treatment Options for Degenerative Disc Disease?

There is no treatment that restores an ageing disc to its original structure. Management therefore focuses on symptoms, function, physical capacity and maintaining normal activity where possible.

Conservative Management

Depending on the individual, conservative management may include:

• education and reassurance
• remaining active within tolerable limits
• individualised strengthening and mobility exercises
• manual therapy where appropriate
• gradual return to normal work, recreational and sporting activities
• strategies for managing flare-ups
• general health measures such as stopping smoking where relevant

For a new episode or flare-up of low back pain, Australian clinical care standards recommend staying active and supporting self-management.

For people with low back symptoms, our Spinal Exercise Guide provides general information about movement and exercise. Exercises should be modified to suit your individual condition.

Medical Management

Medical management may be considered when symptoms are more severe, persistent or associated with neurological findings. Depending on the individual, this may include:

• medication prescribed or recommended by a GP
• physiotherapy or exercise physiology
• further imaging or specialist assessment
• selected injection procedures when clinically appropriate

When Might Surgery Be Considered?

Surgery is not usually required for age-related disc degeneration alone.

Specialist assessment becomes more important when there is progressive neurological loss, significant nerve or spinal cord compression, severe functional limitation or persistent disabling symptoms despite appropriate non-surgical management.

How May Chiropractic Care Help Manage Degenerative Disc Disease?

Chiropractic care does not regenerate worn or dehydrated discs and cannot reverse age-related disc degeneration.

However, some people with degenerative disc changes also have mechanical back or neck pain, joint stiffness or muscle guarding that may be suitable for conservative care.

When chiropractic care is appropriate, management may aim to:

• improve comfortable spinal and joint movement
• help manage associated mechanical pain and muscle tension
• support continued activity within tolerable limits
• improve strength and physical capacity through appropriate exercise
• reduce unnecessary fear of normal movement
• support self-management of future flare-ups

Management may include:

• gentle spinal mobilisation or manipulation when clinically appropriate
• soft-tissue treatment
• individualised mobility and strengthening exercises
• activity and load-management advice
• strategies to maintain comfortable movement and function
• referral to a GP, physiotherapist, exercise physiologist or specialist when appropriate

For low back pain with or without sciatica, NICE recommends manual therapy only as part of a treatment package that includes exercise. This recommendation concerns symptom management, not reversal of disc degeneration.

Treatment is tailored to the individual’s symptoms, examination findings, neurological status, general health and preferences rather than simply treating what appears on an X-ray or MRI.

Can Degenerative Disc Disease Be Reversed?

Age-related degenerative changes within a spinal disc cannot usually be reversed by chiropractic care, exercise, medication or other conservative treatment.

That does not mean symptoms cannot improve.

Pain and function do not depend solely on how a disc looks on an X-ray or MRI. Many people remain active despite significant degenerative findings, and symptoms may improve even though the structural changes remain visible on imaging.

For this reason, treatment usually focuses less on trying to “fix” the appearance of the disc and more on improving function, maintaining activity, building physical capacity and managing symptoms.

Living Well With Degenerative Disc Changes

Having degenerative disc changes does not mean you need to protect your spine from normal movement or stop doing the activities you enjoy.

Long-term strategies may include:

• remaining regularly physically active
• progressively strengthening the muscles that support normal movement
• breaking up long periods of inactivity when this helps symptoms
• gradually increasing activity following a flare-up
• maintaining general health and physical fitness
• stopping smoking
• maintaining a healthy body weight where relevant
• learning which strategies help you manage temporary flare-ups

There is no single “perfect posture” that prevents disc degeneration. Regular movement, physical capacity and confidence using your spine are generally more useful than trying to maintain one position throughout the day.

When Should You Seek Medical Help Urgently?

Degenerative disc changes themselves are usually not an emergency. However, back or neck symptoms can occasionally be associated with significant nerve or spinal cord compression or another medical condition.

Seek urgent medical assessment if you develop:

• new loss of bladder or bowel control
• difficulty beginning or controlling urination
• numbness around the groin, inner thighs or saddle area
• rapidly progressing weakness in an arm or leg
• significant new difficulty walking or maintaining balance
• rapidly worsening neurological symptoms

These symptoms should not be managed through a routine chiropractic appointment. Healthdirect explains the emergency warning signs for spinal disc problems and advises calling 000 for back or neck pain with loss of limb feeling or movement, or problems controlling the bladder or bowels.

See our Red Flags Guide for more information on when back or neck symptoms need urgent medical attention.

Why Choose Ansell Chiropractic Centre in Townsville?

At Ansell Chiropractic Centre, we do not assume that degenerative changes seen on an X-ray or MRI automatically explain your pain.

Your assessment may include:

• a detailed history of your symptoms
• spinal movement and functional assessment
• orthopaedic testing where appropriate
• neurological examination when indicated
• review of existing X-rays, MRI or CT scans
• referral for further investigation or medical assessment when clinically appropriate

We explain:

• what your degenerative findings actually mean
• whether they appear relevant to your symptoms
• whether nerve involvement is suspected
• whether chiropractic care may be appropriate
• other conservative management options
• whether further medical investigation or specialist referral is recommended
• realistic expectations for management and recovery

Ansell Chiropractic Centre has been caring for Townsville patients for more than 40 years. Our approach is based on careful assessment, clear explanations and treatment tailored to the individual rather than long-term treatment plans based simply on imaging findings.

Degenerative Disc Disease FAQs

What is degenerative disc disease?

Degenerative disc disease is a term used to describe changes that occur within spinal discs, particularly with ageing. Despite the name, it is not a disease in the usual sense. Degenerative changes are common and may be present in people with or without back or neck pain.

Is degenerative disc disease serious?

Degenerative disc changes are common and are not usually dangerous by themselves. Their importance depends on your symptoms, examination findings and whether nearby nerves or the spinal cord are affected.

Does degenerative disc disease always cause pain?

No. Many people have degenerative disc changes visible on X-ray or MRI without experiencing pain. Imaging findings need to be interpreted together with symptoms and clinical examination.

Can degenerative disc disease be reversed?

Age-related structural changes within a spinal disc cannot usually be reversed through conservative treatment. However, pain, movement and function can improve even though degenerative changes remain visible on imaging.

What is the difference between degenerative disc disease and a bulging disc?

Degenerative disc disease describes changes within the structure of a disc over time, while a bulging disc describes the shape of a disc extending beyond its usual boundary. A degenerative disc can also develop a bulge, but the terms do not mean the same thing.

Do I need an MRI for degenerative disc disease?

Not necessarily. Imaging may be considered when the result is likely to influence diagnosis or management, when neurological findings are present, when symptoms are not progressing as expected or when another condition needs to be investigated.

Can chiropractic help degenerative disc disease?

Chiropractic care cannot reverse disc degeneration. When appropriate, it may form part of conservative management for associated mechanical back or neck pain, stiffness and reduced movement. Treatment should be based on symptoms and examination findings rather than imaging alone.