Painful whole body vibration increases NGF & BDNF in cervical intervertebral discs in the rat

Neck pain is a common and costly condition in the United States. Whole body vibration, such as that experienced during occupational driving, has been linked to low back pain and disc degeneration. With more Warfighters wearing heavy helmets and headgear while riding in ground vehicles over rough terrains for extended periods of time, the risk of painful neck injury from whole body vibration is rising. This study used a rat model of painful whole body vibration to investigate the potential for inducing changes in cervical intervertebral discs that may relate to degeneration and pain. Increased expression of two neurotrophic factors, NGF and BDNF, known to be involved in neuron growth and survival, was detected in association with pain. Studies investigating the specific mechanisms by which these changes occur and how they may relate to potential ingrowth of nerves into a painful disc are needed.