What is degenerative disc disease?

Wear and tear: Since we are bipeds and walk upright, our discs support a great deal of pressure. Over time the support fibers (annulous fibrosis) may fray or split allowing the internal disc contents to bulge or protrude. The space between the vertebrae may narrow, and the disc may dry out or dessicate. This eventuates in pain and stiffness.

Radiologic Term: Probably most popular "diagnosis" doctors use as speculative causation of low back pain generation. "ddd" is term commonly taken from radiologic reports when doctors need diagnosis otherwise undiscovered. Medical literature correlating chronic low back pain with ddd is sparse. Most people with ddd do not have pain. Up to 30% chronic low back pain from sacroiliac joint, largest axial spine joint.

DDD: In short, it is normal wear and tear of the vertebrae and discs without evidence of a more precise pathology such as neural impingement , inflammation, spondylolisthesis, dish, etc.

Yes: Living in florida and being 39 you can be developing osteoarthritis of the spine. You can tell from plain x-rays. Are the vertebral bodies getting close togeather at any level and are there bony overgrowths seen like in this photo ? This is the lumbar spine (low back).