Back Pain Bad.
Alleviating Back Pain Good.
Back pain in a pain the in the ass.
Lower back pain especially is a problem. Consider this:1
It’s a worldwide problem, as it is the main cause of disability globally.
It’s expensive. The #1 reason for doctor’s visits.
It’s really expensive. Americans alone spend 50 BILLION DOLLARS for lower back pain (hereafter referred to as LBP) treatment.
It’s pervasive. 80% of adults experience LBP in their lifetime.
It doesn’t care about chromosomes. Men and women are equally affected.
With this kind of omnipresent malady any treatment would be a good thing, right?
I’m glad you asked!
Researchers led by a team at Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles has uncovered a special group of cells, known as nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), that seem to reside in degenerating spinal discs with frequency. As you might guess degenerating spinal discs are a bad thing and are linked to LBP.
The research involved the recreation of a human spine in the lab, complete with these stimulated NPC cells. This dynamic allowed the scientists to take the human spine NPC cells and introduce them into the spinal discs of healthy rats, it led to local inflammation and increased sensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli.
So! The root cause of LBP was identified.
And this breakthrough opens the door to developing targeted therapies that focus on these cells, providing hope for those seeking relief from discogenic low back pain.
A world with less back pain is a better world, no?
A better world is Good.
https://www.medindia.net/health-infographics/images/back-pain.jpg