Back pain plagues the world as one of the leading causes of disability and chronic pain. Many different musculoskeletal and neurological disorders, including degenerative disc disease (DDD), can cause back pain. According to the World Health Organization, all of these diseases can affect quality of life and the ability to work.
Degenerative disc disease involves a range of physical and psychological factors. Broadly defined, degenerative disc disease includes a range of spinal disorders such as spinal stenosis and small joint syndrome. Research suggests that CBD may play a role in combating physical injury and psychological stress.
What is DDD?
DDD Classification
DDD in the broadest sense encompasses many diseases. Although the pathological features of different disorders differ, they all have one thing in common, namely progressive damage and destruction of the intervertebral discs. Common DDDs include.
- Lumbar radiculopathy
- Osteoarthritis
- Spinal disorders
- Spinal cord disease
- Spinal stenosis
- Small joint degeneration
Symptoms of DDD and treatment
The onset of symptoms varies due to the different physical conditions of people with DDD themselves. Common symptoms include:
- Pain when the spine is bent or twisted
- Instability of the spine
- Muscle tension and spasms
- Tingling pains in the arms or legs
- Sensory disturbances - numbness, tingling and loss of sensation
Conservative treatments for degenerative disc disease include physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. NSAIDs), traction or epidural steroid injections, which are usually effective in relieving symptoms. If symptoms do not resolve within 2-3 months of conservative treatment, surgery is indicated.
Factors contributing to degenerative disc disease
DDD can be caused by a variety of factors including genetic factors, environment and lifestyle.
1.Genetics
Researchers have identified certain genes that predispose individuals to DDD. polymorphisms in the 5A allele increase the risk of accelerated disc degeneration, particularly in the lumbosacral discs.
2.The age factor
As we age, the body's ability to heal and regenerate tissue decreases, as does the concentration of cells within the annulus fibrosus, and cells begin to lose their ability to divide and proliferate. Cellular ageing and degraded collagen accumulation with age is thought to contribute to disc degeneration, but the exact cause is not yet known.
3.Mechanical loading
Although exercise helps to maintain the integrity of muscles, bones and other tissues, excessive repetitive strain can lead to degenerative disc disease. Exercise and other daily activities that subject the discs to excessive forces may increase the risk of DDD.
4.Biopsychosocial factors
The complexity of the human body structure dictates that DDD is not a simple disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown that some patients with high levels of disc degeneration have little to no pain. In contrast, patients with mild degeneration may experience severe pain.
Pain science uses a biopsychosocial approach to the treatment of back pain. Psychological factors such as fear of certain movements may enhance pain and reduce the effectiveness of certain interventions.
How does CBD work in degenerative disc disease?
Developing a healthy exercise regime through progressive mechanical loading is the main method of recovering from back pain, but new treatments such as CBD will also have a place in future solutions.
CBD works through the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system has two types of receptors - CB1 and CB2 - which are found throughout the body and are mainly concentrated in the nervous system and immune system respectively. Although studies have not found these receptors to be present in the intervertebral discs, it can be speculated that CBD may reduce disc damage by interacting with them.
CBD can help degenerative disc disease at least by:
Reducing disc damage
In 2014, a team of researchers from the University of São Paulo in Brazil began to study the effects of CBD on disc degeneration, prior to which there had been little research related to CBD and DDD. Soon after establishing a DDD model in mice, they injected the experimental group with different doses of CBD.
On days 2 and 15 after in vivo administration in mice, the researchers looked at the efficacy of CBD using nuclear magnetic resonance. They also used histological analysis at the cellular level to look at the site of injury. The results showed that CBD significantly reduced intervertebral disc damage. the effect of CBD was particularly pronounced in the annulus fibrosus, but the changes in the nucleus pulposus were not significant.
Increases levels of arachidonic ethanolamine
CBD also prevents the degradation of the endogenous cannabinoid arachidonic acid, arachidonic ethanolamine, so that it remains in the body for a longer period of time. This endocannabinoid, also known as the "happy molecule", has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and may play a role in disc healing.
Anti-inflammatory
As degenerative disc disease can lead to the release of a large number of inflammatory molecules, the anti-inflammatory potential of CBD may play an important role in accelerating healing. a study published in PLOS ON in 2014, as well as other studies, showed that CBD blocks, inhibits and reduces inflammatory signalling molecules that cause pain and swelling. As a result, the researchers concluded that CBD has an anti-degenerative effect on disc degeneration. They also noted that CBD is a highly promising therapeutic agent, especially with regard to its non-psychotropic status and overall safety.
Reducing psychological symptoms
Treatment requires a multi-pronged approach. Although manipulative therapy, strength training and specialist training can play a key role, the patient's psychological state has a serious impact on their perception of pain and their ability to manage it. the psychological impact of DDD and chronic pain can lead to negative psychological states such as depression, anxiety and pain catastrophising. cbd can help not only with the physical problems associated with DDD, but may also help to reduce psychological symptoms.
Early research shows promise in the relationship between CBD and mental status. Cannabinoids interact with the serotonin system and may alter the way the brain responds to key neurotransmitters. This, in turn, could have profound effects on mental status. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, CBD may maintain arachidonic ethanolamine in the synaptic space for longer periods of time.
Studies have also shown that CBD can help reduce stress symptoms. Excessive stress may alter the way patients perceive and process pain. This psychological state appears to stem from chronic pain, which may lead to a cycle of suffering. CBD, on the other hand, helps to alleviate some of the symptoms of stress, thereby altering the patient's perception of pain and its effects.
CBD in degenerative disc disease
Degenerative disc disease remains a controversial and complex condition. Pain does not equate to tissue damage. People without disc damage may feel pain, while those who do not feel pain may have significant disc degeneration. In addition, people who feel pain may experience negative psychological states, such as fear of certain movements and catastrophizing of pain.
The research surrounding the effects of CBD on DDD is in its early stages and is not yet based on clinical trials, so the optimal dose or approach to CBD for this disease is unclear.
CBD appears to help with both the physical and psychological aspects of DDD. Although no definitive conclusions can be drawn from relevant studies at this time, CBD shows great promise as part of a holistic treatment approach that includes exercise and psychological interventions. Further studies in the near future will surely reveal the physiological effects of CBD on this disease, as well as the required CBD dose and method of administration.
The use of CBD to address the symptoms of patients with DDD is still an experimental approach. There has been some feedback from patients that CBD has helped them improve their mental state and even alleviate physical symptoms to some extent.
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