Are degenerative disc disease and arthritis the same thing?

Not same , related. : Degenerative disc disease or ddd, refers to a wearing down of the fibrous discs between the vertebral bodies of the spine. Arthritis, usually refers to degenerative joint disease or DJD which means a wearing down of the cartilage on the end of the bones that form a joint. Ddd can lead to arthritis or DJD of the facet joints of the spine.

Pretty much: The most common type of arthritis is known as degenerative arthritis and describes the gradual wearing down of the cartilage cushion in a particular joint. In the spine, the disc serves as the cartilage cushion between the vertebrae. When it gets worn down this is known as degenerative disc disease, which essentially is a degenerative arthritis of the spine. Thank you for your question.