CHAMBERSBURG – About one out of every 10 adults in the U.S. has lower back pain. Traditionally, degeneration of spinal disks, where a cushion of sorts located between the bones of the spine was thought to be a common cause. But now doctors know that the pain doesn’t always come from the disk itself.
New research shows that when a disk gets damaged, it can cause inflammation in the nearby bone, said Dr. Michal Glinianski, an anesthesiologist and interventional pain specialist at WellSpan in Franklin County. This inflammation triggers a nerve inside that bone to send pain signals to the brain. Many traditional treatments for chronic low back pain may not always work because bone inflammation is not addressed.
Now, there’s a new treatment that gives hope. It’s called basivertebral nerve ablation. It’s a simple procedure that stops the pain signals from the inflamed bone, Dr. Glinianski said. In fall 2024, WellSpan Health started offering this treatment in Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties in Pennsylvania and Frederick and Washington counties in Maryland. They help about 10 people each month, many of whom have had back pain for years.
Why the pain happens
When a disk breaks down, it releases chemicals that cause inflammation in the bone. This inflammation makes tiny nerves within send pain signals. The main branch of these nerves is called the basivertebral nerve.
This kind of pain is called vertebrogenic low back pain. Since the pain comes from the bone, not the disk, traditional treatments might not help, Dr. Glinianski said. That’s why some people need a treatment that targets the basivertebral nerve instead.
How to spot and treat this type of pain
Vertebrogenic back pain usually hurts in the middle of the lower back and gets worse with sitting, bending or lifting, but it doesn’t spread down the legs like sciatica. A new treatment called basivertebral nerve ablation uses a tiny needle like tool to stop the pain signals, and most people go home the same day feeling better.
Ablation can achieve dramatic, long-lasting relief
Most people feel better within two weeks after the procedure, and the best results show up around three months, Dr. Glinianski said. In research and in real life, many patients have less pain and can move better for years.
One of his patients couldn’t stand for long or finish a round of golf because of back pain. After the ablation, his pain went way down – and now he’s back to playing full rounds. He told me, “I wish I could have done this sooner.”
To learn more about basivertebral nerve ablation, readers may contact WellSpan Health by phone at 717-217-6072 or fax at 717-839-6398.
