Can I Reverse The Degenerative Disc Disease My GP Says Is Causing My Back Pain?
- Chris Heywood
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
First and foremost - if you find a way, please contact me as we can make millions together...........
This is one of the most common — and most understandable — questions people ask after being told they have Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD).
Once you hear the word degenerative, it’s natural to think in terms of:
damage
progression
something that needs “fixing” or reversing
and as for the word disease - well that just breeds fear. The fact i that DDD is not really a disease, it is a condition that is broadly likely to aging as is going to be evident is most people over the age of 35-40 in some way.
Because this is never explained however, people still concentrate on and ask :
“Can I reverse this?”“Can I undo the degeneration?”“If I can’t, does that mean I’m stuck like this?”
The answer is more nuanced — and more reassuring — than a simple yes or no.
First: what does “reverse” actually mean?
Before answering the question, it helps to clarify what reverse usually implies.
Most people mean one of three things:
Can the disc look “normal” again on a scan?
Can the disc become pain-free again?
Can I get back to living normally without worrying about my back?
Only one of those really matters.
Can Degenerative Disc Disease be reversed on MRI?
In simple terms: no — not in the way people imagine.
Once discs change with age:
water content doesn’t fully return
MRI appearance usually doesn’t revert
labels like “degenerative” remain on reports
But here’s the critical point:
MRI appearance is not the same as disc function, and it is not the same as pain.
Trying to “reverse” MRI findings is the wrong target.
The more important question: can symptoms improve even if scans don’t?
Absolutely — and this is where most people get misled.
Many people:
have ongoing disc degeneration on scans
have no pain
live active, unrestricted lives
Others:
have pain for a period
recover fully
never think about their discs again
So while scans may not change much, how your back behaves can change dramatically which is why degenerative disc disease needs to be clearly explained to patients.
Why pain improves even when discs don’t “regenerate”
Pain in DDD is rarely caused by the disc structure alone.
It’s influenced by:
sensitivity of surrounding tissues
nervous system response
movement confidence
strength and load tolerance
stress and sleep
These factors are highly adaptable.
When they improve, pain improves — regardless of what the disc looks like.
Why chasing “disc repair” is often unhelpful
A lot of people go down the path of:
supplements
injections
miracle exercises
promises of “disc regeneration”
Most of these:
lack good evidence
focus on structure rather than function
distract from what actually helps
The spine doesn’t need to be “fixed” — it needs to be trusted and trained.
****Being part of major research in the past looking at the genetics and complex mechanisms behind degenerative disc disease, I will say however that there are very interesting developments relating to this. We are many years away from evening primary testing in humans however so for all intention purposes here, the answer is still the same.
What can realistically be improved
While you can’t turn the clock back on disc ageing, you can improve:
pain levels
movement tolerance
strength and stability
flare-up frequency
confidence and control
For most people, these improvements matter far more than scan findings.
Why many people feel better when they stop trying to “protect” their spine
After a DDD diagnosis, people often:
brace constantly
avoid bending or lifting
move cautiously
restrict activity
Ironically, this often maintains pain.
When people gradually:
move more normally
load their spine progressively
rebuild trust
their symptoms often settle — even though the discs themselves haven’t changed.
What actually supports disc health long term
The things most consistently associated with better outcomes are:
regular movement
progressive loading
general fitness
maintaining healthy body weight
good sleep and stress management
None of these “reverse” degeneration — but all of them improve how your back functions.
Why it’s okay that discs don’t go back to “perfect”
This is a reframing that helps many people.
Discs don’t need to be perfect to work well.They don’t need to look young to be strong.They don’t need to regenerate to stop hurting.
Many people live pain-free with discs that look “degenerate” on MRI.
A more useful goal than reversal
Instead of asking:
“Can I reverse my DDD?”
A better question is:
“Can I build a back that works well, even with disc changes?”
In most cases, the answer to that is yes.
When disc degeneration is not the main issue
Another important point is that DDD is often blamed for pain when:
it’s not the primary driver
other factors are more relevant
the label has become a distraction
Focusing too much on the disc can sometimes slow recovery rather than help it.
The key message
Degenerative Disc Disease cannot usually be reversed on a scan — but that is rarely the goal that matters.
What can be reversed or improved is:
pain
stiffness
fear
loss of function
For most people, DDD is a background finding, not a life sentence.
You don’t need a perfect spine to live well.You need a confident, capable one.
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