Your body relies on your spine for support, range of motion, and mobility. Playing no small role in this effort are your intervertebral discs, which makes degenerative disc disease very problematic. Are you at risk?

One of the leading drivers of back and neck pain is degenerative disc disease, which is a perfectly natural condition that comes with age and wear and tear. Here’s a look at why your discs degenerate and the problems this can lead to.

Osteoporosis affects 200 million women around the world, and half of women over the age of 50 in the United States are likely to have an osteoporosis-related fracture, which is twice the rate of men

Perhaps you’ve noticed that you’re shorter than you once were, or you’re experiencing unexplained back pain. These are just a few of the signs of osteoporosis. We review some of the myths and facts about this condition here.

Whether you’re already dealing with a back that’s prone to pain, or you want to prevent a problem from developing in the first place, there are a few key steps you can take to support your back.

There are any number of reasons why smoking is bad for your health, and we’re going to add bone loss to this list. In the following, we explore the link between smoking and osteoporosis, giving you another good reason to quit.