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Age Considerations
Back pain caused by degenerative disc disease is most prevalent in patients 30 - 50 years old. Although it is not as common for people over age fifty or sixty to have pain generated from the disc, a degenerated disc can lead to facet joint osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis, both of which are common causes of pain in elderly patients.
Gender
Lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disease affects men and women equally.
Prevalence
Disc degeneration is observed with MRI in 25% of individuals under 40 years of age
and in 60% of those over forty years of age. Due to aging, all spines degenerate to some degree, so the key is to determine if the degeneration is symptomatic or asymptomatic through a history and complete physical. |
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