Common Pain Med and Dementia: Address Chronic Low Back Pain with PRP

Samuel G Oltman, ND, RMSK

Pain, while an unpleasant sensation, is a critical signal that something is wrong. For too long, the common approach to chronic pain has been to simply mask this signal with medications. However, a recent study published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine sheds light on the potential dangers of this approach, specifically linking a widely-used pain medication, gabapentin, to an increased risk of dementia. The findings underscore a critical message: instead of just covering up pain, people should seek solutions that address the root cause, a path where regenerative medicine offers a promising alternative.

The study (1), which examined records from over 26,000 adults with chronic low back pain, revealed a concerning association. Patients with multiple prescriptions for gabapentin showed a significantly higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This risk was particularly pronounced in younger adults (18-64), who had more than twice the risk of developing these cognitive issues. The data suggests a dose-response relationship, meaning the more prescriptions a person had, the greater their risk.

These findings serve as a powerful warning against relying on medications that may have serious, long-term side effects. While pain relief is important, simply taking a pill to mute the symptoms does not solve the underlying problem. It can be compared to putting a piece of tape over a flickering "check engine" light in a car—it hides the problem but doesn't fix the engine, and the vehicle will eventually break down.

This is where regenerative medicine presents a paradigm shift. Rather than just managing symptoms, these treatments focus on stimulating the body's natural ability to heal and repair itself. Therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) use the body's own resources to target damaged tissues, joints, and nerves in chronic low back pain. By injecting these biological substances directly into the site of injury, they work to reduce inflammation, promote tissue repair, and ultimately restore function. The goal is to correct the physical issue causing the pain, not just dull the sensation. The evidence for the effectiveness of PRP has continued to mount over the years and shows superiority to rehab alone and to cortisone injections (2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

Opting for regenerative medicine, like PRP, over medication can lead to lasting relief by tackling the source of low back pain. It represents a proactive choice to invest in long-term health and well-being, rather than being trapped in a cycle of temporary fixes with potentially harmful side effects. As the new research on gabapentin shows, choosing a solution that only masks symptoms can come at a steep price, affecting not just physical comfort but also cognitive health. For those struggling with chronic pain, it's a call to action to explore innovative, root-cause-focused solutions that offer genuine healing. Schedule with us today and feel the difference that treating the cause can provide.

References:

1. Eghrari, N. B., et al. "Risk of dementia following gabapentin prescription in chronic low back pain patients." Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, vol. 40, no. 1, 2025, p. 106577. https://rapm.bmj.com/content/early/2025/07/02/rapm-2025-106577.

2. Zhang, X., Zhang, A., Guan, H., Zhou, L., Zhang, J., & Yin, W. (2024). The Clinical Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection Therapy versus Different Control Groups for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Pain Research, 17, 1077–1089. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S444189

3. Kubrova E, Martinez Alvarez GA, Her YF, Pagan-Rosado R, Qu W, D’Souza RS. Platelet Rich Plasma and Platelet-Related Products in the Treatment of Radiculopathy—A Systematic Review of the Literature. Biomedicines. 2022; 10(11):2813. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10112813

4. Xuan Z, Yu W, Dou Y, Wang T. Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma for low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2020;81(6):529-534.

5. Machado ES, Soares FP, Vianna de Abreu E, de Souza TAdC, Meves R, Grohs H, Ambach MA, Navani A, de Castro RB, Pozza DH, et al. Systematic Review of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Low Back Pain. Biomedicines. 2023; 11(9):2404. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11092404

6. Singjie LC, Kusuma SA, Saleh I, Kholinne E. The potency of platelet-rich plasma for chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial. Asian Spine Journal. 2023;17(4):782.