New Study Suggests Hormone May Help Alleviate Chronic Back Pain
A recent study reveals that a hormone commonly used for treating bone loss could be an effective way to tackle chronic back pain right at its source. Chronic back pain is often caused by the wear and tear of spinal discs and the thin layers of tissue, known as vertebral end plates, that separate these discs from the spine. When these tissues deteriorate, they become porous, allowing normally untouched nerves to enter the spinal area, resulting in persistent pain.
Led by Dr. Janet L. Crane at Johns Hopkins University, the research suggests that parathyroid hormone (PTH) could stop or even reverse the intrusion of these pain-sensing nerves into damaged spinal areas. This hormone, produced naturally by parathyroid glands, plays a crucial role in maintaining calcium levels and bone health.
The aim of this study is to shift how we approach back pain treatment; instead of just managing symptoms, it offers a chance to tackle the underlying issues. Dr. Crane stated, “During spinal degeneration, pain-sensing nerves tend to grow into areas where they normally don’t belong. Our study indicates that parathyroid hormone can reverse this by activating natural signals that push these nerves away.”
Currently, synthetic PTH is approved to treat osteoporosis, and some patients have reported unexpected relief from back pain during treatment. Previous studies hinted that these therapies could alleviate bone-related pain, but the specific biological reasons behind this were not fully understood until now.
In experiments using animal models, researchers found that one to two months of PTH treatment led to stronger, more stable vertebral end plates. The treatment also encouraged bone-building cells, known as osteoblasts, to produce a protein called Slit3. This protein helps repel nerve fibers, preventing them from penetrating sensitive parts of the spine.
When researchers tested without Slit3, the hormone’s ability to relieve pain diminished, confirming its vital role in the process. The FDA has already approved PTH for osteoporosis treatment, with some patients reporting significant back pain relief.
Dr. Crane emphasized that this research opens the door to future clinical trials that could explore PTH’s effectiveness as a treatment to both modify disease progression and relieve pain associated with spinal degeneration. However, the researchers note that more studies are needed to understand how PTH may impact the central nervous system and what other genetic factors might play a role in nerve growth and pain relief.
The findings of this study were published in the journal Bone Research.
