Understanding Degenerative Disc Disease: Common Symptoms

3. Sciatica

People with degenerative disc disease may experience sciatica, a pain that starts in the lower back or buttocks, then travels down one or both legs to the foot or calf. The spinal cord does not run through the entire lower back. Instead, horse-tail-shaped nerve roots come off the spinal cord at the upper part of the lumbar spine. If a degenerated disc collides with the nerve root in the lower back, it may irritate or compress the sciatic nerve, leading to pain that radiates away from the origin.