Spinal Discs Injury
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (The Perelman School) recently published a research paper on the response of spinal discs to injury. To help countless people who often suffer from back pain, the researchers wanted to see if there was a way to slow the response of spinal discs to injury, hoping to alleviate discomfort and preserve function. The researchers hope that the results of their study will provide a strong foundation for future studies. In the long run, this may reduce the number of people who develop chronic back pain following an injury.
What is the Role of the Spinal Discs?
Back pain is one of the most common reasons why people seek medical treatment and why they seek disability benefits. The discs that separate the vertebrae play an essential role in keeping the back healthy. The role of the spine is to protect the spinal cord from injury. The spinal cord acts as a superhighway, carrying information back and forth between the brain and the body. The bony vertebrae of the spine protect the spinal cord from damage. The role of the spinal discs is to cushion the space between the vertebrae.
If the vertebrae are allowed to rub up against each other, this will lead to inflammation in the spine, creating severe pain. The discs provide a cushion to prevent this from happening. Unfortunately, the discs can become damaged.
What Happens When Discs are Damaged?
The researchers studied what happens to spinal discs when they suffer an injury. A slipped disc is also known as a herniated disc of a bulging disc. When this injury occurs, the internal material of the disc begins to leak out. As a result, the internal pressure of the disc is lost. The tissue becomes incredibly disorganized as it leaves the disc, impacting the integrity of the structure.
After this, the repair process begins. Unfortunately, the researchers found that the repaired material resembles scar tissue, which does not provide an adequate cushion for the vertebrae. Finally, the researchers also found that cell death, called apoptosis, occurs within 24 hours of injury. Because the discs do not have a steady blood supply, it is hard for the discs to repopulate with the necessary cells needed for regeneration.
Researchers Propose a Solution
The goal was to find a way to stop the contractive process of the cells, which is the natural response to shock. When the cells contract, they tend to rupture. A biological inhibitor called fasudil may play a role in relaxing the cells following the shock of an injury. If the cells relax, the natural response (apoptosis) can be delayed. If this process is delayed, doctors will have more time to intervene and halt the injury process.
If this biological inhibitor works, it might prevent spinal disc injuries in the future. This will preserve the natural structure and function of critical bodily tissues. It can benefit countless people who suffer an injury in a traumatic accident.
Watch YouTube Video: Symptoms of a Herniated Disc. In this video, Dr. Dean Lin with Lee Health discusses the symptoms of a herniated disc.
Stockton Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton Personal Injury Lawyer. This research plays a vital role in the recovery of spinal discs in the future. Individuals who have suffered a spinal cord injury due to the negligence of another person should contact me at (800) 404-5400 or (209) 227-1931 to receive free, friendly legal guidance & advice.
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