Understanding Upper Back Pain: Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease is a condition of the spine where the intervertebral discs start to break down. It is one of the most common causes of neck and back pain. Disc degeneration is a normal part of the aging process, and most never even notice it happening. However, an injury from a fall or over-twisting or wear and tear over time can bring on disc degeneration earlier than normally expected.

Neck Stiffness

• Most frequently, those with cervical (neck) disc degeneration complain of having a stiff neck rather than neck pain.

Wide Range of Back Pain

• There is no specific level of pain that is symptomatic of degenerative disc disease. Many people afflicted experience no pain, while others with the same degrees of degeneration and damage may have severely debilitating pain.

Arm Pain

• Sometimes the pain will not be localized in the back at all, but can be felt in the arms and hands. This pain usually worsens with movements involving both the back and arms, such as bending over, twisting, and reaching up.

Numbness or Tingling

• For some instances, people will have no pain at all, but will instead have numbness or tingling one of their arms.

Other Symptoms

• Other, less common symptoms of disc degeneration can include difficulty swallowing, dizziness, lightheadedness, and swelling of the glands in the neck.