News, guides and community updates.
A large, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial testing a single stem-cell injection for chronic low back pain from degenerative disc disease just reached its full patient enrollment target, with results expected in 2027.
A 2026 study used wearable spinal motion sensors to group chronic low back pain patients into movement-based patterns, an early sign that non-surgical care may get more personalized in the years ahead.
Federal regulators recently cleared a focused ultrasound system that calms overactive nerves in the lower back's facet joints without a single incision, and the first patients started receiving it earlier this year.
A newly studied physical exam called the head elevation test may help clinicians catch small spinal compression fractures earlier, giving providers another way to sort out what is really behind persistent back pain in older patients.
A pending Medicare policy proposal could eliminate coverage for many peripheral nerve block and denervation procedures, though facet joint and epidural treatments commonly used in spine care would stay covered. Here is where things stand this summer.
A fresh scoping review is asking whether bacteria living in your gut, and even in the disc itself, play a role in herniated discs and chronic low back pain. Here is what the emerging science actually shows, and does not yet show.
A Toronto medical technology company just cleared a major FDA hurdle to formally test a combination ozone-oxygen and nerve block injection for lumbar disc herniation, aiming squarely at the gap between physical therapy and surgery.
GLP-1 medications have reshaped weight loss conversations nationwide, and a growing body of 2026 reporting is now connecting that weight loss to back pain relief, along with a few risks worth knowing about before you assume the two always go hand in hand.
Researchers at the University of South Florida published a case report this summer describing how a computer-guided traction device helped shrink a cervical disc herniation and reduce pain in a patient who also lives with multiple sclerosis, adding a fresh data point to the conversation around non-surgical options for neck and disc pain.
A large multi-state study found that adding video-based mindfulness group visits to standard care was tied to easier chronic low back pain a full year later, pointing to a scalable, non-surgical option primary care clinics could realistically offer.
Growing clinical evidence suggests that regenerative therapies and computer-controlled decompression may help disc herniation patients avoid surgery while producing measurable improvements on imaging, giving patients and providers a clearer picture of what non-surgical care can and cannot do.
Two federally registered clinical trials are studying whether psilocybin can help patients with persistent low back pain gain lasting relief, and early findings are drawing serious scientific attention.
A growing body of research points to multifidus muscle stimulation as a promising minimally invasive option for people with chronic back pain that has not responded to conventional care. Here is what the evidence says.
New spinal health research is clarifying what posture and desk work actually do to your back, and the findings point to some practical, evidence-based changes that most people are not yet making.
From camera-guided disc removal to radiofrequency nerve treatment, a new generation of minimally invasive spine interventions is giving chronic back pain patients more targeted options beyond traditional surgery.
Targeted nerve relief, regenerative medicine, and integrated care teams are redefining how providers approach sciatic nerve pain. What the latest treatment advances mean for people living with radiating leg pain.
New FDA-cleared disc replacement technology and a broader shift toward outpatient minimally invasive spine procedures are giving back pain patients more options than ever. Here is what the 2026 research and clinical trends show.
New studies published in 2026 examine a minimally invasive technique targeting the multifidus muscles, with a three-year follow-up finding more than 80 percent of participants reporting meaningful improvement in pain or disability.
Researchers are developing artificial intelligence tools to predict how your disc will respond to treatment, while the broader field has shifted away from passive fixes toward care plans that address movement, sleep, and daily habits alongside clinical intervention.
A study published in the journal Bone Research found that parathyroid hormone, a naturally occurring bone hormone, significantly reduced abnormal pain-sensing nerve growth in damaged spinal tissue in animal models. Here is what the research found, what it means for spinal health science, and how it fits into the broader picture of non-surgical back pain care.
Three emerging procedures are changing the conversation about back pain care in 2026: multifidus stimulation, endoscopic discectomy, and the Intracept procedure. Each offers a less invasive path for patients who want options beyond medication management or open surgery, and the clinical evidence behind each is growing.
A landmark randomized clinical trial published in JAMA in 2026, led by Duke University researchers and funded by the NIH, found that a structured, clinician-supported self-management approach helped significantly more patients achieve meaningful disability reduction than standard medical care alone. The results add important nuance to how back pain should be treated in its early stages.
A landmark 672-person federal clinical trial shows a structured acupuncture program with maintenance sessions helps older adults regain function while reducing annual healthcare spending by nearly $500.
Standing over a stove cooking dinner is rough on an aching back. Here's a tasty reason to let someone else do the heavy lifting tonight.
Practical, everyday strategies to ease lower back pain and prevent it from returning.
We treat the spine and disc injuries that follow car accidents every week. Recovery is smoother when the legal side is handled by someone you trust. Here's the Las Vegas firm we recommend.
How gentle decompression can relieve pressure on the discs and nerves of the spine.