Health
Chronic back pain may have met its match with hormone treatment, scientists say
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A hormone traditionally used to treat bone loss may hold the key to stopping chronic back pain at its source, according to a new study.
Chronic back pain is often linked to the deterioration of spinal discs and vertebral end plates, which are the thin layers of tissue separating the discs from the vertebrae, according to medical sources.
When these break down, they become porous, allowing nerves that aren’t usually impacted to enter the spinal center, leading to frequent discomfort.
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Research led by Dr. Janet L. Crane at Johns Hopkins University found the parathyroid hormone (PTH) could prevent and even reverse the growth of pain-sensing nerves into damaged areas of the spine.
Parathyroid glands naturally produce PTH, which experts say plays a key role in regulating calcium levels and bone remodeling.
Research suggests a parathyroid hormone can prevent the growth of pain-sensing nerves into damaged areas of the spine. (iStock)
These findings could shift the focus of back pain treatment from managing symptoms to modifying the underlying issue, according to scientists.
“During spinal degeneration, pain-sensing nerves grow into regions where they normally do not exist. Our findings show that parathyroid hormone can reverse this process by activating natural signals that push these nerves away,” Crane said in a press release.
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Synthetic versions of PTH are already used to treat osteoporosis. Earlier research hinted that these treatments might also reduce bone-related pain, but the underlying biological mechanism was not well understood.
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Using animal models, the Johns Hopkins researchers found that one to two months of PTH treatment led to denser, more stable vertebral endplates.
More significantly, the treatment triggered bone-building cells, known as osteoblasts, to produce a protein called Slit3, the study detailed.
These findings could shift the focus of back pain treatment from managing symptoms to modifying the underlying issue, according to scientists. (iStock)
The study found that this protein repels growing nerve fibers, preventing them from infiltrating sensitive regions of the spine.
When the researchers removed Slit3 from mice, the hormone’s pain-relieving effects disappeared, confirming the protein’s critical role in the process.
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PTH is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat osteoporosis. Some patients receiving the hormone for bone density have reported unexpected relief from back pain, a phenomenon this study could help explain.
This study lays a foundation for future clinical trials to explore the efficacy of PTH as a disease-modifying and pain-relieving treatment for spinal degeneration, the researchers say. (iStock)
“Our study suggests that PTH treatment of [lower back pain] during spinal degeneration may reduce aberrant innervation (abnormal nerve growth),” Crane concluded.
The doctor said this research lays the foundation for future clinical trials that will explore PTH’s effectiveness as a disease-modifying and pain-relieving treatment for spinal degeneration.
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Researchers noted several limitations, including the possibility that PTH treatment could affect the central nervous system in ways not fully explored in this study.
Because the study focused specifically on the Slit3 protein, further research is needed to determine how other genetic factors and bone-forming processes might influence spinal nerve growth and pain relief.
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The study was published in the journal Bone Research.
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Yoga is known to boost relaxation, strength and flexibility – and now a new study has found the practice could improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances after cancer treatment.
The findings were presented last week at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.
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The study was conducted across multiple U.S. community cancer care sites, including 410 adult cancer survivors averaging 54 years of age. Around 75% were breast cancer survivors, and none of them had practiced yoga regularly within the prior three months.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances in cancer survivors. (iStock)
The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Half of them received only standard survivorship care without the yoga, while the other half received standard care and were also enrolled in the Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) program.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training.
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Based on questionnaires completed by the patients, the survivors in the yoga group experienced “moderate-to-large” reductions in overall mood disturbance, “small-to-medium” reductions in anxiety and “medium-to-large” reductions in fatigue, the study found.
The improvements in mood and fatigue appeared to be linked to yoga’s beneficial effect on sleep quality, according to the researchers.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training. (iStock)
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug,” lead investigator Yuri Choi, PhD, of the Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, in Rochester, New York, told Fox News Digital.
The study did not reveal any major safety concerns or serious adverse events related to the yoga practice.
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug.”
The study did have some limitations, chiefly that the findings are preliminary and have not yet been peer-reviewed for a medical publication.
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“The sample in our clinical trial was relatively homogeneous, with most participants being women (96%), breast cancer patients (75%), Caucasian (93%), and having some college or higher education (82%),” noted Choi.
“We are adapting our intervention to reach all cancer patients and survivors, including the creation of a mobile app to reach people in rural communities.”
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The research also excluded patients with metastatic cancer (whose disease had spread to other parts of the body).
The total study was only four weeks, so more research is needed to determine long-term benefits.
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted. (iStock)
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted.
Some yoga studios may use different names for Gentle Hatha and Restorative yoga, such as Foundations Yoga or Healing Yoga, Choi noted.
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“Survivors should also look for certified yoga instructors who have experience working with cancer patients/survivors or individuals with other challenging health conditions,” the researcher advised. “They should not be afraid to ask their oncology team for referrals to qualified instructors in their community.”
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Choi also noted that the research did not reveal whether other types of yoga, such as heated-room or rigorous-flow yoga, are safe or beneficial for cancer survivors.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
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