Diagnosis of
Degenerative Disc Disease

There has been a long history of controversy concerning the diagnosis of degenerative disc disease (DDD). Some enlightened doctors will rarely, if ever, make this diagnosis. Other doctors use this completely normal process to frighten patients into long regimens of treatment or even surgery. Degenerative disc disease is a condition that is not clearly defined by medical science. Like many pain conditions, DDD suffers from diagnostic eclecticism. Treatment choices will depend greatly on the whim and preference of the care provider and generally offer poor curative results.

Diagnosis of Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative Disc Diagnosis

DDD is visible on X-ray, MRI, CT or Myelogram imaging. The loss of intervertebral disc space is easy to notice and looks rather scary. The patient gets visions of those spinal bones becoming dangerously close to one another. The name itself� DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE is enough to frighten most patients and produce a powerful nocebo effect. It is rarely mentioned to the patient that this is a normal, expected and universal condition associated with aging. Nor is it mentioned that many people discover they have DDD by accident, when having an imaging study done for a completely unrelated condition. These people have no pain! That is until they find out that they have a �disease� in their spine�Once again, a powerful nocebo effect is given.

Diagnosis of Degenerative Disc Disease Advice

A good doctor will explain that this condition is a very common and normal part of aging. A good doctor will tell you that most people have this condition and do not suffer pain or symptoms. A good doctor will not scare the hell out of you with this diagnosis. If you do not have a good doctor�

STOP READING and GO FIND ONE!!!

This diagnosis set the stage for the 18 years of protracted suffering from what I thought was pain caused by DDD and subsequent herniated discs. Eventually I found out that I, like millions of other patients, was misdiagnosed.
Diagnosis of Degenerative Disc Disease to Back Pain Home 5/22/06 Revised 8/26/08