This corresponds to over 54 million individuals. Approximately 25% of American adults reported low back pain occurring in the past 3 months. Numerous epidemiological studies suggest that such back pain is widespread, frequently debilitating, and costly. Low back pain has been strongly associated with such IVD degeneration. In the normal course of aging, the intervertebral disc (IVD) and in particular the nucleus pulposus (NP) undergo extensive morphological and cellular changes resulting in hardening of the NP and a decrease in structural integrity, disc height, and flexibility of the IVD as a whole. In addition to facilitating bending, flexion, and torsion, they also help to transmit loads applied to the spine.
Intervertebral discs act as the main joints of the spinal column, providing both stability and flexibility. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown promise in small animal models, but results in larger vertebrates have been mixed. One major avenue of investigation has been stem cell injections. Novel techniques are currently being investigated and have shown mixed results. The use of tissue engineering to treat IVD degeneration provides an opportunity to correct the pathological process. Current first-line therapies for IVD degeneration such as physical therapy and spinal fusion address symptoms, but do not treat the underlying degeneration. While the causes of low back pain are myriad, it has been significantly associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. In the United States, low back pain is the most common health problem for adults under the age of 50, resulting in significant societal and personal costs. Low back pain is widely recognized as one of the most prevalent pathologies in the developed world.
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