Your spinal discs can change is several ways as you age:
Loss of fluid: Healthy spinal discs are made up of mostly fluid. As you age, the discs lose fluid, which makes them thinner. This means they are less effective as shock absorbers.
Structural issues: A disc can develop tiny tears or cracks in its outer layer. This can allow the softer inner layer to seep out, resulting in a ruptured disc.
These issues may also lead to other problems as the spine becomes less stable. That includes:
Bone spurs: the formation of abnormal growths along the edge of a bone.
Herniated disc: a disc bulges out of its normal position and may put pressure on a nerve.
Spinal stenosis: the spinal canal becomes more narrow which may put pressure on the spinal cord or a nerve root.