Understanding Degenerative Disc Disease: Treatment Options That Avoid Surgery
Sep 02, 2026
Degenerative disc disease can cause ongoing neck or back pain that makes working, sleeping, exercising, and completing everyday activities difficult. Although the word degenerative may sound alarming, age-related disc changes don’t always require surgery. Many people can manage symptoms with conservative and minimally invasive treatments.
At Arora Pain Clinic in Torrance, California, board-certified pain management specialist Ripu Arora, MD, MBA, helps patients manage neck and back pain with personalized treatment plans. Dr. Arora starts with conservative options and can recommend advanced interventional treatments when symptoms continue.
Your spinal discs sit between the vertebrae and act as cushions that absorb pressure as you move. Over time, these discs can lose water content, become thinner, and provide less cushioning. These age-related changes can sometimes lead to pain, stiffness, or nerve irritation.
Degenerative disc disease may affect your neck or lower back. Symptoms can include:
Not everyone with disc degeneration develops symptoms. When pain does occur, Dr. Arora can determine whether disc changes or another condition is causing your discomfort.
Dr. Arora reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments, and daily activities. He also performs physical and neurological exams to evaluate strength, sensation, reflexes, flexibility, and movement.
When necessary, he may order X-rays, an MRI, a CT scan, or other testing to get a closer look at your spine. Pinpointing the source of your pain helps him choose treatments that address your specific symptoms.
Nonsurgical treatment often begins with conservative care. Physical therapy can strengthen the muscles that support your spine, improve flexibility, and help you move with less strain.
Your treatment plan may also include stretching, activity modifications, heat or ice, massage, acupuncture, or manual manipulation. Maintaining a healthy weight and using proper body mechanics can also reduce unnecessary pressure on your spine.
Dr. Arora may recommend anti-inflammatory or other medications to help control pain and inflammation.
If conservative treatments don’t provide enough relief, epidural injections may help when inflammation or nerve irritation contributes to your symptoms. These injections deliver medication into the epidural space around the spinal nerves to reduce inflammation and ease pain.
Some patients need additional treatment without moving directly to major spine surgery. Depending on the source of your pain, Dr. Arora may recommend nerve blocks, facet joint injections, radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, or other interventional procedures.
Radiofrequency ablation, for example, uses controlled energy to interrupt pain signals from specific nerves. Dr. Arora determines which procedures, if any, fit your diagnosis and treatment goals.
Degenerative disc disease doesn’t automatically mean you need surgery. A personalized treatment plan can combine conservative care with minimally invasive procedures to reduce pain and improve function.
If chronic neck or back pain is affecting your quality of life, call Arora Pain Clinic or schedule an appointment online with Dr. Arora today. He can identify the source of your symptoms and recommend treatment options designed to help you move more comfortably.