Low back pain (LBP) is the world’s leading cause of disability and is increasing in prevalence more rapidly than any other pain condition. Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA) are two common causes of LBP, and both occur more frequently in elderly women than in other populations. Moreover, osteoarthritis (OA) and OA pain, regardless of the joint, are experienced by up to twice as many women as men, and this difference is amplified during menopause. Changes in estrogen may be an important contributor to these pain states. Receptors for estrogen have been found within IVD tissue and nearby joints, highlighting the potential roles of estrogen within and surrounding the IVDs and joints. In addition, estrogen supplementation has been shown to be effective at ameliorating IVD degeneration and OA progression, indicating its potential use as a therapeutic agent for people with LBP and OA pain. This review comprehensively examines the relationship between estrogen and these pain conditions by summarizing recent preclinical and clinical findings. The potential molecular mechanisms by which estrogen may relieve LBP associated with IVD degeneration and FJOA and OA pain are discussed.

腰痛 (LBP) 是世界上导致残疾的主要原因，其患病率的增长速度比任何其他疼痛状况都快。椎间盘（IVD）退变和小关节骨关节炎（FJOA）是 LBP 的两个常见原因，并且两者在老年女性中的发生率均高于其他人群。此外，无论哪个关节，患有骨关节炎 (OA) 和 OA 疼痛的女性人数是男性的两倍，并且这种差异在更年期期间会放大。雌激素的变化可能是导致这些疼痛状态的重要因素。在 IVD 组织和附近关节内发现了雌激素受体，突出了雌激素在 IVD 和关节内部及其周围的潜在作用。此外，补充雌激素已被证明可有效改善 IVD 退化和 OA 进展，表明其可作为 LBP 和 OA 疼痛患者的治疗剂。这篇综述通过总结最近的临床前和临床发现，全面研究了雌激素与这些疼痛状况之间的关系。讨论了雌激素缓解与 IVD 变性以及 FJOA 和 OA 疼痛相关的 LBP 的潜在分子机制。