#390 Do You Have A Degenerate Spine?

"Chronic low back pain (LBP) is the most common cause of disability worldwide. New ideas surrounding LBP are emerging that are based on interactions between mechanical, biological and chemical influences on the human inter-vertebral disc (IVD).

 

The degenerate IVD is proposed to be innervated by sensory nerve fibres and vascularised by blood vessels, and it is speculated to contribute to pain sensation.

 

However, the incidence of nerve and blood vessel ingrowth, as well as whether these features are always associated, is unknown."

 

In English, it means that the discs of your spine have both nerve and blood vessels going to them. The authors of this study wanted to see if there was a difference between healthy and unhealthy discs and how many nerve fibers and blood vessels they had.

 

The purpose of this podcast is to discuss this study, its possible applications and if it should change how you're taking care of your spine.

 

What I Cover:

• The current models of spinal pain and spinal degeneration.
• The difference between specific and nonspecific low back pain, which is most common, and the origin of the pain.
• The findings of the study, including the seemingly contradictory finding that degenerated discs had more nerve and blood vessels.
• The possible mechanism behind the fact that damaged tissue has more nerve and blood vessel innervation than healthy tissues.
• What does this information mean clinically? Does it change what you should be doing for your health?
• Does this change or alter anything you've been doing already?