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Piecing Together the Puzzle of Chronic Low Back Pain

https://www.niams.nih.gov/piecing-together-puzzle-chronic-low-back-pain

The human back is a complex structure with bones, nerves, tendons, discs, and more — all places where something can go wrong and cause pain, which, for many people, becomes a long-term or chronic problem. Life stresses and other medical and mental health conditions aggravate the problem. With so many pieces, it’s hard to get a holistic view of the puzzle or pinpoint the cause of the pain. “People tend to focus on one aspect or another,” said Jeffrey Lotz, Ph.D., a medical engineer who studies back pain at the University of California, San Francisco. “Some people think it’s largely

Long-running fractures study doubles as a bountiful women’s health data source

https://www.niams.nih.gov/long-running-fractures-study-doubles-bountiful-womens-health-data-source

Back Pain

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/back-pain

What is back pain? Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the United States. It might feel like a dull, constant ache or a sudden, sharp pain. Back pain can result from: An accident. A fall. Lifting something heavy. Changes that happen in the spine as you age. A disorder or medical condition. Treatment depends on the cause and symptoms of your pain. You can do things to improve your health and lower your chance of developing chronic (long-lasting) back pain.

Osteoporosis

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/osteoporosis

What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle. This increases your risk of broken bones (fractures). Osteoporosis is a “silent” disease because you may not have symptoms. You may not even know you have the disease until you break a bone. Breaks can occur in any bone but happen most often in: Hip bones. Vertebrae in the spine. Wrist. You can take steps to help prevent osteoporosis and broken bones by: Doing weight-bearing exercises, such as walking or dancing, and lifting weights. Not drinking too much alcohol. Quitting smoking, or not starting if

A Wearable Device Helps Make Back Pain Bearable

https://www.niams.nih.gov/wearable-device-helps-make-back-pain-bearable

HEAL-funded researcher Conor Walsh, Ph.D., and his team at the Harvard Biodesign Lab specialize in developing soft “exosuits” – wearable devices that help people with muscle weakness (for example, after a stroke) so they can regain movement and muscle strength.

Drugs treat spinal disc degeneration in mice

https://www.niams.nih.gov/drugs-treat-spinal-disc-degeneration-mice

A research team led by Dr. Makarand Risbud of Thomas Jefferson University tested whether treatment with the drugs dasatinib and quercetin would prevent disc degeneration in mice. Both drugs are senolytics, which selectively remove aged cells known as senescent cells.

How to Manage Low Back Pain Before it Gets Worse

https://www.niams.nih.gov/how-manage-low-back-pain-it-gets-worse

Living With Scoliosis

https://www.niams.nih.gov/living-scoliosis

An NIH Health Capsule article. Scoliosis is a disease that causes the spine to curve. It can result in an abnormal s-shaped or c-shaped curve. Anyone can get scoliosis. But it’s most common in children age 11 and older.

Scoliosis in Children and Teens

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/scoliosis

What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. Children and teens with scoliosis have an abnormal S-shaped or C-shaped curve of the spine. The curve can happen on either side of the spine and in different places in the spine. With treatment, observation, and follow-up with the doctor, most children and teens with scoliosis have normal, active lives.