NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
A hormone traditionally used to treat bone loss may hold the key to stopping chronic pain back at its source, according to new research.
Chronic back pain is often associated with degeneration of the spinal discs and vertebral end plates, which are thin layers of tissue that separate the discs from the vertebrae, according to medical sources.
When these break, they become porous, allowing nerves that are not normally touched to enter the spinal cord, resulting in constant discomfort.
BIG WEIGHT LOSS PROMISED BY HIGH DOSE WEGOVY, NOW FDA APPROVED
Research led by Dr. Janet L. Crane at Johns Hopkins University found that parathyroid hormone (PTH) can inhibit and reverse the growth of pain-sensing nerves in injured areas of the spinal cord.
Parathyroid glands naturally produce PTH, which experts say plays an important role in regulating calcium levels and bone regeneration.
Research shows that parathyroid hormone (PTH) can prevent the development of pain-sensing nerves in injured areas of the spinal cord. (Stock)
These findings could change the focus of back pain treatment from controlling symptoms to changing the underlying problem, according to scientists.
“During spinal degeneration, pain-sensing nerves grow in regions where they normally don’t exist. Our findings show that parathyroid hormone can reverse this process by activating environmental signals that push these nerves away,” Crane said in a press release.
HIDDEN SYMPTOMS YOUR BONES MAY BE WEAKER THAN YOU THOUGHT, ACCORDING TO THE DOCTOR.
Synthetic versions of PTH are already used to treat osteoporosis. Previous studies have shown that these treatments may also reduce bone-related pain, but the underlying biological mechanism was not well understood.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH PAPER
Using animal models, Johns Hopkins researchers found that one to two months of PTH treatment resulted in thicker, more stable vertebral endplates.
More importantly, the treatment stimulated bone-forming cells, known as osteoblasts, to produce a protein called Slit3, the study detailed.
These findings could change the focus of back pain treatment from controlling symptoms to changing the underlying problem, according to scientists. (Stock)
Research has found that this protein repels growing nerve fibers, preventing them from entering sensitive areas of the spinal cord.
When the researchers removed Slit3 from the mice, the pain-relieving effects of the hormone disappeared, confirming the protein’s important role in this process.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLES
PTH is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat osteoporosis. Some patients receiving bone density hormone have reported unexpected relief from back pain, a phenomenon this study may help explain.
This study lays the groundwork for future clinical trials to test the efficacy of PTH as a disease-modifying treatment for degenerative spine pain, the researchers said. (Stock)
“Our research suggests that PTH therapy [lower back pain] during spinal degeneration it may reduce insomnia (abnormal nerve growth),” concludes Crane.
The doctor said this research lays the groundwork for future clinical trials that will test the effectiveness of PTH as a revolutionary treatment and pain reliever for spinal degeneration.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
The researchers noted several limitations, including the possibility that PTH treatment may affect the central nervous system in ways that were not fully explored in this study.
Because this study focused specifically on the Slit3 protein, more research is needed to determine how other genetic factors and bone formation processes may influence spinal nerve growth and pain relief.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
The study was published in the journal Bone Research.
