Fighting Opioids with Stem Cells

Lower back pain affects an estimated 28 million people in the United States alone, and accounts for more than half of opioid painkiller prescriptions. But a new treatment that uses injected stem cells could offer new hope for chronic back pain sufferers and reduce the number of patients at risk of addiction to opioid medications.

Australian researchers have found that injecting stem cells (specifically mesenchymal precursor cells) into the damaged discs between vertebrae not only reduces inflammation but also secretes compounds that rebuild tissue. Initial experiments conducted on sheep showed that damaged discs were completely rebuilt. Subsequently, the technique has been used on humans with excellent results; one hundred patients have experienced pain relief and improved function that last two years or more. MRI results also confirm that the discs are indeed rebuilt.

The technique is specifically targeted to treat degenerative disc disease in which the vertebrae have dried out and cracked over time due to aging and wear. This reduces their ability to act as “shock absorbers” for the spine, potentially leading to inflammation and pinched nerves. The stem cells reinflate and rehydrate the discs, and because the body does not recognize mesenchymal precursor cells, there is no need for patients to take immunosuppressant drugs.