Comprehensive anatomical and immunohistochemical review of the innervation of the human spine and joints with application to an improved understanding of back pain.
BACKGROUND
Pain of spinal origin contributes significantly to cervical, thoracic, and lower back pain presentations. Such pain originates in the nerve fibers supplying the joints or the surrounding ligaments and intervertebral discs. Although there has been little detailed discussion of spinal bony innervation patterns in the literature, the clinical implications of these patterns are anatomically and medically significant.


METHODS
The present review provides a detailed analysis of the innervation of the spine, identifying the unique features of each part via online search engines.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical implications of these various studies lie in the importance of the innervation patterns for the mechanism of spinal pain. Immunohistochemical studies have provided further evidence regarding the nature of the innervation of the spine.
Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada.
Pamela
P
Youssef
Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada.
Marios
M
Loukas
Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
Jens R
JR
Chapman
Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
Rod J
RJ
Oskouian
Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA. shane.tubbs@childrensal.org.
R Shane
RS
Tubbs
D001416:Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002572:Cervical Plexus / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000294:innervation*; D008022:Ligaments / Q000294:innervation*; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus / Q000503:physiopathology; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000294:innervation; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology; D013131:Spine / Q000294:innervation; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000294:innervation
Anatomy; Nerve; Pain syndromes; Spinal; Surgery; Vertebrae