Lower back pain also called LBP, is considered the world’s leading cause of disability. But a key to alleviating the suffering may lie in a bone-strengthening hormone..

Aging bones aren’t always the problem. Mischievous nerves are a large part, and a new study shows that spinal damage offers an open invitation to pain-sensing nerves to reactive areas that amplify pain.

A recent study published in Bone Research, however, may indicate a solution.

When scientists introduced small doses of parathyroid hormone, or PTH, it resulted in pain-signal reduction in mice by improving spinal bones. The bone cells released Slit3, a protein that prevents excess nerve growth in the spine. Fewer nerves equals less pain.

When the research team blocked the PTH or Slit3, pain relief vanished.

Ultimately, the study offers proof that PTH doesn’t simply reduce pain, it alters the fundamental problem by reviving balance between nerves and bones.

This could be a potential catalyst for smarter treatments and relief for people with chronic lower back pain.

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