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Degenerative Disc Disease
Peak Spine & Sports Medicine treats degenerative disc disease with opioid-free spine care in Marlton and Collingswood, NJ. Call (833) 377-7325 to schedule your appointment today.

Degenerative Disc Disease in Marlton and Collingswood, NJ

When spinal discs become worn or irritated, simple parts of the day can start to feel harder. Sitting, standing, bending, lifting, driving, sleeping, working, exercising, or traveling may become more difficult when degenerative disc disease contributes to back pain, neck pain, stiffness, nerve irritation, or symptoms that travel into the arms or legs.

At Peak Spine & Sports Medicine, we help patients understand whether degenerative disc disease is truly contributing to their pain and which non-opioid treatment options may help them move forward. Disc degeneration is common, especially with age, but not every worn disc is painful. A careful evaluation helps connect symptoms, imaging, exam findings, and daily limitations before a treatment plan is recommended.

Our approach centers on opioid-free, interventional pain care with a strong focus on education, outcomes, and restored quality of life. Patients are cared for by Dr. Milind Patel, Dr. Jill Kalariya, Brian Brown, PA, and our interventional pain management team through a concierge, white-glove model designed to make care feel clear, organized, and personal.

To schedule a degenerative disc disease consultation in Marlton or Collingswood, NJ, call Peak Spine & Sports Medicine at (833) 377-7325 or request an appointment online today. Telehealth consults are available for convenience when appropriate. We proudly serve patients in Marlton, Haddonfield, Collingswood, Cherry Hill, Medford, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees, Philadelphia, and surrounding communities.

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What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?

Degenerative disc disease describes changes in the spinal discs that can occur over time.

Spinal discs sit between the bones of the spine and help absorb shock, support movement, and provide cushioning. Each disc has a tougher outer layer and a softer inner center. As discs age or become stressed, they may lose hydration, height, flexibility, and strength.
These changes can make the disc less effective as a cushion. The outer layer may develop small tears. The disc may become thinner. Nearby joints, nerves, muscles, and ligaments may become irritated as the spine adapts to the change.

  • Degenerative disc disease may affect the neck, mid back, or low back.
  • Cervical degenerative disc disease affects the neck.
  • Lumbar degenerative disc disease affects the low back.
  • Thoracic degenerative disc disease affects the mid back, though this is less common.

The name can sound alarming, but “degenerative” does not always mean the condition will keep getting worse or that surgery is inevitable. Many people have degenerative changes on imaging without severe pain. The important question is whether the disc changes match the symptoms.

Degenerative disc disease can feel different from patient to patient.

Some patients feel deep, aching pain in the back or neck. Others feel sharp pain with certain positions, stiffness after sitting, pain with bending or lifting, or discomfort that improves with movement. If the disc contributes to nerve irritation, pain may travel into the arm, hand, buttock, hip, leg, or foot.

Symptoms may include:

  • Low back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Mid back pain in selected cases
  • Pain that worsens with sitting
  • Pain with bending, lifting, or twisting
  • Stiffness after rest or prolonged positions
  • Pain that improves with changing positions
  • Pain that travels into the buttock, hip, or leg
  • Pain that travels into the shoulder, arm, or hand
  • Sciatica
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Muscle spasms or guarding
  • Difficulty standing or walking for long periods
  • Difficulty sleeping comfortably
  • Trouble working, driving, exercising, traveling, or completing normal routines

Some symptoms need urgent medical attention, including loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or saddle area, severe or progressive weakness, difficulty walking, fever with severe spine pain, or pain after major trauma.

Degenerative disc disease is often related to normal wear and change in the spine over time.

Discs naturally lose water content as people age. That loss of hydration can make the disc less flexible and less able to absorb pressure. Over time, this may contribute to disc thinning, annular tears, inflammation, arthritis, bone spurs, nerve irritation, or narrowing around the nerves.

Degenerative disc disease may be influenced by:

  • Aging
  • Genetics
  • Repetitive bending, lifting, or twisting
  • Prior injury
  • Sports or work-related stress on the spine
  • Long periods of sitting
  • Smoking history
  • Poor conditioning or reduced core support
  • Other spine conditions, such as arthritis or spinal stenosis

Degenerative disc disease can also overlap with other pain sources. A patient may have disc degeneration along with a herniated disc, facet joint pain, SI joint dysfunction, spinal stenosis, muscle guarding, or nerve irritation. The treatment plan should be based on the source of the symptoms, not the MRI report alone.

Degenerative disc disease can affect different areas of the spine.

Cervical degenerative disc disease occurs in the neck. It may cause neck pain, stiffness, headaches related to neck tension, shoulder pain, arm pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness. Symptoms may worsen with looking down, turning the head, working at a computer, driving, or sleeping in certain positions.

Lumbar degenerative disc disease occurs in the lower back. It may cause lower back pain, stiffness, buttock pain, hip pain, sciatica, leg pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness. Symptoms may worsen with sitting, bending, lifting, standing, walking, or changing positions.

The location matters because cervical and lumbar disc problems can affect different nerves, daily activities, and treatment options.

Degenerative disc disease and herniated discs are related, but they are not the same.

  • Degenerative disc disease refers to wear, thinning, dehydration, or structural change in the disc over time.
  • A herniated disc occurs when part of the disc pushes outward through a weak or torn area. If that material irritates a nearby nerve, pain may travel into the arm or leg.

A degenerative disc may be more likely to bulge or herniate because it is less hydrated and less flexible. Some patients have both conditions at the same time. Others have degenerative disc disease without a true herniation.

At Peak Spine & Sports Medicine, the team considers the full clinical picture before deciding whether the pain originates from the disc itself, an irritated nerve, a facet joint, the SI joint, muscle guarding, or another structure.

Diagnosis begins with a careful conversation and physical exam.

The Peak Spine & Sports Medicine team asks where the pain is located, whether it travels, what makes it worse, what improves it, how long it has been present, what treatments have already been tried, and what the pain is preventing the patient from doing.

The exam may include checking strength, sensation, reflexes, spine movement, pain with certain positions, walking pattern, and signs of nerve irritation.

Imaging may be recommended when appropriate. MRI can show disc hydration, disc height, herniation, annular tears, nerve compression, stenosis, and surrounding soft tissues. X-rays may show alignment, arthritis, disc space narrowing, bone spurs, or instability. CT scans may be used in selected cases.

A key part of diagnosis is deciding whether the imaging findings explain the symptoms. Degenerative changes are common, and the most worn-looking disc is not always the main pain source.

Why Choose Peak Spine & Sports Medicine for Degenerative Disc Disease?

Peak Spine & Sports Medicine was built around a simple standard: this should be the kind of pain management practice we would want our own family members to visit.

Initial consultations are designed to be thorough, personal, and highly focused. The team takes time to understand the source of the pain, how it affects daily life, what has already been tried, and which activities the patient needs to return to.

For one patient, the priority may be sitting through work without low back pain. For another, it may be driving comfortably, walking through an airport, exercising, golfing, sleeping better, lifting a child or grandchild, or traveling without planning the entire day around pain.

Peak Spine & Sports Medicine offers:

  • Concierge, white-glove pain management care
  • A non-opioid approach to pain care
  • Ivy League-trained professionals
  • Double board-certified pain management physicians
  • Cutting-edge interventional techniques and technology
  • Advanced spine and disc procedure evaluation
  • Image-guided spine procedures
  • Telehealth consults when appropriate
  • A helpful staff that works to reduce the burden on patients
  • Insurance access for eligible PPO/POS patients with out-of-network benefits

Care is led by Dr. Milind Patel and Dr. Jill Kalariya, double board-certified pain management physicians who perform advanced interventional procedures in the outpatient surgery center. Brian Brown, PA supports patients through conservative care, diagnostic workups, imaging coordination, therapy recommendations, and follow-up planning, helping each patient move through care with clarity.

Degenerative disc disease requires careful diagnosis and realistic planning. At Peak Spine & Sports Medicine, the team evaluates the full pain pattern, imaging findings, neurologic symptoms, movement limits, prior treatments, and patient goals before recommending injections, nerve blocks, disc procedures, radiofrequency ablation, neuromodulation, therapy referral, or another treatment option.

Our practice is selective with insurance because the model is built around quality, not volume. We work for the patient, not the insurance company. That gives the team more time to listen, explain, coordinate care, and work for the patient rather than designing the visit around an insurance company’s schedule.

Visit our Why Choose Us page to learn more.

How Is Degenerative Disc Disease Treated?

Treatment depends on which structures are causing pain.

Some patients have mostly discogenic pain, meaning the disc itself appears to be a primary source. Others have nerve irritation from narrowing, inflammation, or a related herniation. Some have facet joint pain, SI joint dysfunction, muscle guarding, or spinal stenosis along with disc degeneration.

Treatment options may include:

  • Physical therapy referral
  • Activity modification
  • Home exercise guidance
  • Medication coordination without opioids when appropriate
  • Epidural Steroid Injections
  • Nerve Root / Selective Nerve Blocks
  • Disc Decompression in selected cases
  • Facet Joint Injections
  • Medial Branch Blocks
  • Radiofrequency Ablation
  • Trigger Point Injections
  • SI Joint Injections
  • Platelet-Rich Plasma in selected cases
  • Stem Cell Therapy in selected cases
  • Spinal Cord Stimulation in selected chronic pain cases
  • Surgical evaluation when needed

The right plan depends on the patient’s symptoms, imaging, exam findings, response to previous care, overall health, and goals.

Epidural Steroid Injections for Degenerative Disc Disease

Epidural steroid injections may be considered when degenerative disc disease contributes to nerve inflammation or irritation.

As discs lose height or change shape, they may contribute to narrowing around nerve roots. Disc bulges, herniations, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis may also irritate nerves. When this happens, pain may travel from the low back into the buttock, hip, or leg, or from the neck into the shoulder, arm, or hand.

An epidural steroid injection places anti-inflammatory medication near the irritated nerve pathway. This may help reduce radiating pain and make movement, therapy, strengthening, work, sleep, or daily activity more manageable.

Disc Decompression for Selected Disc Problems

Disc decompression may be considered when degenerative disc disease is associated with a contained herniated disc or disc-related pressure that matches the patient’s symptoms.

Percutaneous Disc Decompression is designed to remove or reduce a small amount of disc material through a minimally invasive approach. In carefully selected patients, reducing pressure within the disc may help reduce irritation around nearby nerves.

This option is not appropriate for every degenerative disc. It is typically considered when symptoms, imaging findings, and the type of disc problem all fit the procedure.

Facet Joint Injections and Medial Branch Blocks

Degenerative disc disease can alter the mechanics of the spine, potentially increasing stress on the facet joints.

Facet joints are small joints in the back of the spine. They can become painful from arthritis, degeneration, inflammation, or altered motion. Facet-related pain often feels more central in the back or neck and may worsen with standing, twisting, or bending backward.

Facet joint injections may help calm inflammation in the joint. Medial branch blocks can help determine whether the small nerves that carry pain signals from the facet joints are involved. If medial branch blocks provide strong but temporary relief, radiofrequency ablation may be discussed.

Radiofrequency Ablation for Degenerative Spine Pain

Radiofrequency ablation may be considered when degenerative spine pain appears to come from the facet joints or other targeted nerves.

The procedure uses controlled heat energy to quiet pain signals from specific nerves. It may be helpful for selected patients with chronic neck or low back pain related to facet joint arthritis or degeneration.

Radiofrequency ablation is usually considered after diagnostic blocks show that the targeted nerves are likely contributing to pain.

Trigger Point Injections for Muscle Guarding

Degenerative disc disease can lead to muscle guarding.

When the spine hurts, surrounding muscles may tighten to protect the painful area. Over time, that guarding can create knots, spasms, stiffness, and myofascial pain that become part of the problem.

Trigger point injections may help reduce pain in affected muscles and allow patients to move, stretch, strengthen, or participate in therapy more comfortably. They may be considered when muscle pain contributes to the broader degenerative disc disease pain pattern.

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Disc-Related Pain

Spinal Cord Stimulation may be considered for selected patients with chronic spine or nerve pain that has not improved enough with conservative care, injections, disc procedures, or other treatments.

Spinal Cord Stimulation uses a small implant to send controlled electrical impulses near the spinal cord. These signals can change how pain signals are processed before they reach the brain.

This option may be considered for chronic neuropathic pain, persistent leg pain, pain after spine surgery, or other complex spine-related pain patterns. It usually begins with a temporary trial before a permanent implant is discussed.

When Is Surgery Needed for Degenerative Disc Disease?

Many patients with degenerative disc disease do not need surgery.

Surgical evaluation may be appropriate when symptoms remain severe despite appropriate non-surgical care, when imaging shows a structural problem that is unlikely to respond to interventional treatment, or when neurologic symptoms are worsening.

Urgent evaluation may be needed for progressive weakness, difficulty walking, loss of bowel or bladder control, saddle numbness, fever with severe spine pain, or symptoms after major trauma.

Peak Spine & Sports Medicine helps patients understand when non-surgical care is reasonable and when a spine surgeon should be involved.

Degenerative disc disease does not always mean symptoms will keep worsening.

Some patients improve when inflammation settles, strength improves, movement patterns change, nerve irritation decreases, or the primary pain generator is treated. Others may have symptoms that come and go over time.

The disc itself may still show wear on imaging, but the patient’s pain and function can improve. For many people, progress is measured by practical changes: sitting longer, sleeping better, walking farther, driving with less pain, exercising more comfortably, or getting through work with fewer interruptions.

The cost of degenerative disc disease treatment depends on the evaluation, imaging needs, treatment plan, procedure recommended, facility, insurance benefits, and medical necessity requirements.

Peak Spine & Sports Medicine primarily works with patients who have PPO or POS insurance plans with out-of-network benefits. The practice is out-of-network for most insurance plans, allowing the team to maintain a smaller, more personalized model with longer visits, tailored treatment plans, more education, and less pressure to rush patients through care.

Many patients are surprised to learn that out-of-network care with PPO/POS plan benefits are typically much more accessible than they expected. The Peak Spine & Sports Medicine team can help review benefits, explain the process, and determine whether the practice is a good fit.

Peak Spine & Sports Medicine does not participate with EPO, HMO, Medicare, or Medicaid plans. This allows our office to quickly see both new and existing patients.

Patients visit Peak Spine & Sports Medicine in Marlton and Collingswood from Cherry Hill, Medford, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees, Philadelphia, and surrounding areas because they want high-level interventional spine care without an opioid-first approach.

Peak Spine & Sports Medicine does not use opioids as a shortcut for pain care.

Our practice focuses on interventional procedures because many pain problems involve specific structures or pathways. Degenerative disc disease may involve irritated discs, inflamed nerves, painful facet joints, SI joint dysfunction, muscle guarding, or spinal stenosis. These problems often require targeted care rather than long-term reliance on medication that circulates throughout the body.

Interventional pain management is designed to identify the source or pathway of pain and treat it more directly. For the right patient, degenerative disc disease care may include injections, nerve blocks, disc procedures, radiofrequency ablation, therapy coordination, neuromodulation, or another non-opioid strategy that supports improved function and quality of life.

Schedule a Degenerative Disc Disease Consultation in Marlton or Collingswood, NJ

For degenerative disc disease care in Marlton and Collingswood, NJ, contact Peak Spine & Sports Medicine at (833) 377-7325 or schedule a consultation online today. Our team will help determine whether the pain pattern, goals, and insurance benefits make our concierge interventional pain model the right fit. We proudly serve patients in Marlton, Haddonfield, Collingswood, Cherry Hill, Medford, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees, Philadelphia, and surrounding communities.

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Degenerative Disc Disease Marlton, NJ – FAQs

The name can be misleading. Degenerative disc disease is usually a description of disc changes over time rather than an infection or illness. Some patients have disc degeneration on imaging without major pain.

It may feel like back or neck pain, stiffness, pain with sitting, bending, or lifting, muscle spasms, or pain that travels into the arm or leg when a nerve is irritated.

Yes. Degenerative disc disease may contribute to sciatica if disc changes, herniation, narrowing, or inflammation irritate a lumbar nerve root. Sciatica may cause burning, shooting pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness traveling into the buttock, hip, leg, or foot.

Yes. Degenerative disc disease in the neck may irritate a cervical nerve root and cause shoulder, arm, hand, or finger pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.

Epidural steroid injections may help selected patients when degenerative disc disease contributes to nerve inflammation or radiating arm or leg pain.

Disc decompression may be considered when degenerative disc disease is associated with a contained disc herniation or disc-related pressure that matches the patient’s symptoms.

DISCSEEL may be discussed for selected patients with disc-related pain involving annular tears or damaged discs. It is not appropriate for every case of degenerative disc disease.

IDET may be considered for selected chronic lumbar discogenic pain when symptoms suggest the disc itself is a primary pain source.

Radiofrequency ablation may help if pain is coming from the facet joints or other targeted nerves rather than the disc itself. Diagnostic blocks are usually performed first.

Not always. Some patients have stable imaging findings and improved symptoms with treatment, strengthening, better movement, and targeted care. Pain and function can improve even if the disc still shows degenerative changes.

Many patients do not need surgery. Surgical evaluation may be appropriate when symptoms remain severe despite appropriate care, imaging shows a structural problem that needs surgery, or neurologic symptoms worsen.

Urgent medical care may be needed for loss of bowel or bladder control, saddle numbness, progressive weakness, difficulty walking, fever with severe spine pain, or symptoms after major trauma.

Some patients benefit from therapy or strengthening once pain is better controlled. Peak Spine & Sports Medicine does not provide physical therapy in-house, but the team may refer patients to outside physical therapy when strengthening, mobility, posture, or spinal support is part of the plan.

In many cases, yes. Telehealth consults may be available to help expedite evaluation, review symptoms, discuss prior imaging or treatments, and determine whether an in-person exam or procedure consultation is appropriate.

Peak Spine & Sports Medicine accepts insurance and primarily works with PPO and POS plans that have out-of-network benefits. The practice does not participate with EPO, HMO, Medicare, or Medicaid plans. The team can help patients determine whether their benefits may apply.