Degenerative Disc Disease Treatment in Surrey, BC

What it feels like

• Low back or neck pain that flares with prolonged sitting, bending or lifting and eases with changing position
• Stiffness first thing in the morning that loosens as you move
• Occasional referred ache into the buttock or shoulder blade, sometimes with tingling

Why it happens

Spinal discs lose water content and height as we age, exactly as hair greys — "degeneration" shows up on the scans of most pain-free adults over 40. So the finding itself rarely explains pain on its own. What usually drives symptoms is how the spine is being loaded: long static postures, deconditioned supporting muscles, a sudden change in activity, poor sleep and stress all make a sensitised segment more irritable. That is good news, because all of those are changeable.

How we can help

We begin by explaining what your imaging does and doesn't mean, because fear of movement is one of the biggest obstacles to recovery. Assessment identifies the positions and loads that irritate your spine and the ones that calm it. Your plan then combines hands-on treatment for short-term relief, a graded strength and mobility program for the trunk and hips, and practical changes to how you sit, lift and sleep. Acupuncture and massage therapy can be added for pain and muscle tension. The goal is a spine you trust again, not a spine that looks different on a scan.

Related reading: Low back pain

Common questions

Is it going to keep getting worse?

Disc changes on imaging progress slowly over decades, but pain does not follow the same path — most people improve substantially with the right care and stay well with an active lifestyle. "Degenerative" describes the tissue, not your future.

Should I avoid lifting and bending?

No. Avoiding movement weakens the muscles that protect your spine and tends to make things worse. We teach you how to bend and lift with confidence and build the capacity to do it, rather than putting the activity off-limits.