Sounds like you are on the right track. I would explore the term 'disease' as a starting point to understand if this is really an appropriate term to use. Most of the issues you mention are/can be the result of degenerative changes in the disc, which by and large is a normal process as one goes through life. Is it a 'disease' as we usually use the word? I would consider it is not and we should change the term as it has a negative association that will not assist patient understanding and resolution of the symptoms