Spine Diseases We Look To Provide Relief
Chronic Low Back Pain Resulting from Degenerative Disc Disease
266 million individuals around the world are diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease, or DDD, and its associated Chronic Low Back Pain each year.
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a complex and frustrating problem. For 266 million worldwide sufferers of CLBP, it affects all aspects of their daily life. For CLBP sufferers, the treatment gap between conservative care and surgery is extreme. Few viable and reliable treatment options exist after a CLBP patient has failed conservative care. Opioids are prevalent, in part, because there are inadequate early-stage treatment solutions for CLBP sufferers. We hope to change this treatment paradigm by addressing an underlying source of pain, degenerative disc disease (DDD).
DDD of the lumbar, or lower spine is a significant cause of disability in the world and a tremendous expense to the healthcare system. It is associated with a variety of clinical symptoms, including, weakness, low back pain and disability of varying levels of severity. There is currently no treatment for the underlying cause of DDD [Learn more about DDD] and current approaches are aimed at managing pain through a variety of approaches that include physical therapy, chiropractic care, over the counter medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or prescription opioids.
For patients with moderate to severe pain that persists chronically, treatment plans include epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation or surgical intervention. Clinical outcomes vary and often do not provide predictable benefit. Given the substantial costs, pain, and disability associated with DDD, and the current lack of an approved disease-modifying agent, a treatment that could potentially relieve pain and increase function with the potential to mediate the progression of DDD or achieve a regenerative effect could revolutionize the standard of care.