Smoking and Degenerative Disc Disease

About.com Smoking Cessation forum moderator, Michelle Boisvert suffers from degenerative disc disease. Diagnosed at the young age of 33, Michelle learned that smoking was a risk factor for this condition.

From Michelle:

"I was diagnosed with severe DDD in 1998 when I was 33 years old and still a smoker. My orthopedic surgeon discovered the DDD while he was performing surgery after I ruptured a disc in my lower back. Discs are the pliable “cushions” found between the vertebrae, which serve as shock absorbers for the bones in the neck and back."

More From Michelle:

• What an Investment!

• Smoking Cessation: There is No Substitute for Time

• A Perspective on Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy

_{Photo © Michelle Boisvert}