Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) or osteoarthritis of the spine, is a common disorder of the lower spine. Disc degeneration can lead to disorders such as lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal that houses the spinal cord and nerve roots), spondylolisthesis (forward slippage of the disc and vertebra), and retrolisthesis (backward slippage of the disc and vertebra).

Actually, DDD is not a disease but, rather, a degenerative condition that may produce little or no symptoms, or can be painful and greatly affect your quality of life. Disc degeneration is a normal part of aging and is generally not a problem by itself. However, when bone spurs grow adjacent to the discs, they can pinch or put pressure on the nearby nerve roots or spinal canal, and pain can occur.