Her spine surgery was denied. Doctors say it's all too common.

By the time she graduated high school, the back pain that Nala White first noticed at age 13 had radiated to her left leg, creating an unbearable sensation of pins and needles.

By the time she graduated high school, the back pain that Nala White first noticed at age 13 had radiated to her left leg, creating an unbearable sensation of pins and needles. The mere act of standing at her graduation ceremony was excruciating.

“I had to sit there and dig my nails into my palms and just bear through it,” White said.

At home, a simple walk from her bedroom to the kitchen brought her to tears. And a trip to the mailbox down the street would cause her leg to burn, forcing White to crouch or sit for relief.

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The 18-year-old from Austin, Texas, was diagnosed three years ago with degenerative disc disease, the same condition her mother developed as a teenager. Most people develop the condition as spinal discs wear down naturally with age, but early onset can run in families.