Researchers have developed a gel that can be injected into pinched spinal discs to help relieve lower back pain. Scientists from the US State of Oklahoma Clinical Radiology said that 20 people between the ages of 20 and 69 saw a reduction in pain from this treatment, after which this treatment was seen to have the potential to get rid of this pain.
These individuals were suffering from degenerative disc disease. According to an estimate, about 6.5 million people suffer from back pain in the United States every year, with the above disease being the leading cause.
Currently, traditional treatments for this condition focus on rest, physical therapy, and back braces. At present, gel treatment for pain relief requires surgical insertion of the gel, which can be dislodged. In contrast, this new treatment requires only one injection.
The researchers said they recruited 20 people from Colombia to study chronic low back pain, all of whom used traditional methods to relieve pain but found temporary relief.
Later, as a trial, this special gel was injected directly into the discs of their lower back. The gel was heated to 65°C before pouring. The gel then cooled to body temperature and solidified to form an implant to support the discs in the area.
The scientists said that this gel made of plastics cools down quickly and no damage has been seen on the surrounding tissues so far. The researchers said that it was important to wait for the results of this trial study in the US and Canada before the gel could be widely released.
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