This link is more for my own future reference than anything else. ~Diane
From: http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/degenerative-disc-disease/pain-degenerative-disc-disease
Generally, the pain associated with degenerative disc disease is thought to stem from two different factors:
- Inflammation
- Abnormal micromotion instability
The proteins in the disc space can cause a lot of inflammation, and inflammation in the disc space can lead to low back pain radiating to the hips. The associated pain can also travel down the back of the legs.
If the annulus—the outer rings of the intervertebral disc - becomes damaged or worn down, it is not as effective in resisting motion in the spine. This condition has been termed “micromotion” instability because it is usually not associated with gross instability (such as a slipped vertebral body orspondylolisthesis).
Both the inflammation and micromotion instability can cause muscular spasm in the low back. The muscle spasm is the body’s attempt to stabilize the low back. It is a reflex, and although the body’s response of muscle spasm is not necessary for the safety of the nerve roots, it can be quite painful.
