Told you have worn discs and not sure what comes next?
Seeing the words “degenerative disc disease” on a report can sound alarming, especially when your neck or back already aches. The name is harsher than it needs to be: it describes wear that develops in many spines over time. Our doctors take time to explain what your scans mean and offer gentle adjustments aimed at keeping you moving comfortably.
What is degenerative disc disease?
Despite its name, degenerative disc disease is not a disease in the usual sense. It describes age-related changes in the discs, the cushions between the bones of the spine. Over time discs can lose water and height, so they absorb shock less well, and the joints around them may become stiffer or more crowded.
These changes are common and show up on the scans of many people who feel fine. For others, disc wear is linked to pain that comes and goes. Worsening weakness or numbness, numbness around the groin, or loss of bladder or bowel control needs emergency care right away.
Common signs include:
- Neck or low back pain that comes and goes
- Pain that is worse with sitting, bending or lifting
- Stiffness, especially in the morning or after sitting
- Flare-ups after long days or heavy activity
- Tingling or numbness in the arms or legs
- A feeling of instability or weakness in the spine
- Less flexibility than you used to have
- Natural aging, as discs slowly lose water and height
- Past injuries such as falls, sports hits or car accidents
- Years of repetitive or heavy physical work
- Long hours of sitting or poor posture
- A family history of neck and back problems
- Uneven loading from a spine that is out of balance
What causes degenerative disc disease?
Disc wear is part of how bodies age, and a few things can speed it up or make it more noticeable:
Discs in the neck and lower back take much of the daily load, and in the view of upper cervical chiropractors they may take it unevenly when the head sits off center on the atlas (C1) and the spine adapts beneath it. That is why we look at that balance: more even loading may help your spine stay as comfortable as possible as it ages.
How upper cervical care can help
Age-related changes in a disc are part of life for most of us, and our care does not claim to change them. What we can look at is how your spine is carrying its load right now. Your exam, posture evaluation and 3D imaging of your cervical spine show us where your head sits and how the rest of your frame has adapted, so we can plan care around your spine as it is today.
Gentle adjustments suit a spine with years of wear. They are precise, light and matched to what your exam and imaging show. Our goal is to support smoother, more balanced movement and to help you stay active. If your spine can share its load more evenly, our hope is that flare-ups feel less frequent or less intense, though every spine responds differently.
Honest about what wear means
We explain what your imaging shows in plain words, including that disc wear is common and not always the source of pain, so you know what to expect from care.
Keeping you moving
Staying active matters for a spine with wear. Our goal is to help you move with less stiffness, so walking, working and exercising feel more comfortable.
Your neck in three dimensions
Cone Beam CT shows the bones of your neck in 3D, so we can see whether wear in the neck may be changing how your head sits.
Care that follows your flare-ups
Disc wear tends to ebb and flow. We recheck as you go, so your plan can adjust when a flare-up arrives and when things are calmer.
What to expect
Day 1
Your first visit
A consultation with the doctor at the office you choose, a thorough exam, and 3D imaging of your cervical spine with our CBCT scanner. We also do a detailed posture evaluation with advanced software, neurological testing and muscle assessments.
Day 2
Your report of findings
The doctor goes over your history, your exam and posture results, your neurological findings and your 3D images with you, and explains a care plan made for you.
Ongoing
Gentle care, checked as you go
Gentle upper cervical adjustments with no twisting, cracking or popping, and regular progress checks so your plan follows how you are doing.
Why choose Apollo?
Specialized care
We focus on upper cervical chiropractic, a highly targeted and refined approach.
A plan made for you
Every patient is different. Your care plan is built around your own exam and your 3D imaging.
Gentle, with no cracking
Our methods are very gentle: no twisting, cracking or popping.
An experienced doctor
Dr. Kosta Tsakalos brings deep clinical experience and a caring, detail-oriented approach to every visit.
Every person is different, and results vary. Read what our patients say on our testimonials page.
Let us help you get started
If you are dealing with degenerative disc disease, we are here to help. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Kosta Tsakalos and find out whether upper cervical chiropractic care is right for you.
Related conditions we help with
This page is general information. It is not a diagnosis or medical advice. If your symptoms are sudden or severe, please seek medical care right away.