New research points to key cells linked to lower back pain
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Around 40% of adults experience lower back pain associated with degenerating spinal discs, and recent research has started to shed light on possible reasons. It appears that certain cells within the spinal discs might be responsible for this pain. These discs serve as shock absorbers and contain jelly-like cores that deteriorate over time. The study identifies specific cells that could help explain why some people develop pain while others do not, despite similar levels of disc degeneration. This research could be a step towards understanding and eventually treating disc-related back pain more effectively.
Source
Wensen Jiang et al. ,Intervertebral disc human nucleus pulposus cells associated with back pain trigger neurite outgrowth in vitro and pain behaviors in rats.Sci. Transl. Med.15,eadg7020(2023).DOI:10.1126/scitranslmed.adg7020
Additional Reading
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-01-03/new-clues-to-origins-of-lower-back-pain
https://www.healthday.com/health-news/pain-management/new-clues-to-origins-of-lower-back-pain