Cytokine molecule IL-17 implicated in low back pain associated with herniated discs

According to doctors at Duke University Medical Center, An immune cell known to cause chronic inflammation in autoimmune disorders has been identified as a possible culprit in low back pain associated with herniated discs.
The finding implicates the cytokine molecule interleukin-17, and supports the burgeoning theory that an immune response plays an important role in disc disease. It may also open the door for new, therapeutic approaches that target a specific immune response in hopes of halting disc destruction, and possibly reversing the disease process.