Your history most likely fits this scenario. 8 years ago, you had a degenerative disc will a small posterior disc bulge seen by an MRI. Your primary care doctor saw that disc with the bulge and misinterpreted it as a herniated disc. You were seen by a surgeon who stated that the disc was not herniated and that was that.
Years later, the degenerative cascade continued (once the disc starts the degenerative process, there is no going back). The disc narrowed in height and some bone spur formation started. The facets in back developed overload pressure and became somewhat degenerative.
Your current doctor viewed the MRI and called it degenerative arthritis (see website to understand why that is not a great term for the spine).
This degenerative segment now does not handle impact which in turn causes back pain and you also may have some leg pain from the bone spur formation.
Does that sound like the situation at hand?
Dr. Corenman
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.