The investigators will test the hypothesis that patients with low back pain associated with lumbar disc aberrancy will have elevated MGO-protein levels circulating in the blood that are comparable to patients with painful diabetic neuropathy.

This is a cross-sectional, non-interventional study conducted solely at KU Medical Center in which patients will be recruited and sorted based on the following status: 1) healthy, 2) painful diabetic neuropathy, 3) chronic low back pain as a result of non-operative lumbar aberrancy. Once recruited, subjects will undergo a venous blood draw to measure MGO-protein levels, HbA1c, blood glucose, NFL protein levels and GLO1 activity. Subjects will also complete questionnaires to better understand how MGO levels correlate with pain status.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Informed consent provided by the subject
• Able to read/speak English
• TYPE 2 DIABETES
• All healthy inclusion criteria AND
• Blood glucose levels > 126 mg/dl
• Diagnosed with neuropathy or experience painful numbness or tingling in their hands or feet
• LOW BACK PAIN
• All healthy inclusion criteria AND
• Chronic (persistent pain lasting longer than 3 months) low back pain as a direct result of non-operative lumbar disc aberrancy (disc herniation, protrusion, or extrusion)
• Aberrancy occurring within 12 months of pre-screening

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prisoner
• Current clinically significant cardiac or neurological disease
• Diagnosis of IBS, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), postherpetic neuralgia
• Lumbar surgery due to disc aberrancy
• Therapeutic spinal injections within the last 3 months (steroid, ablations, etc.)
• Chronic use of steroids or non
• steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) within 3 months of pre-screen
• Past or present use of spinal cord stimulators

Based on their pain status, subjects will be distributed into three groups: healthy, type 2 diabetes with painful neuropathy, and chronic low back pain. Subjects will not be randomized as our studies are based on comparisons of subjects within the 3 groups. The study team will assess for the presence of neuropathy by verbal confirmation of the subject. Subjects placed within the chronic low back pain group must have a diagnosis of chronic pain symptoms (persistent pain lasting longer than 3 months), as a direct result of lumbar disc aberrancy in the last 12 months. The study team will require diagnostic imaging to confirm aberrancy status for enrollment in this group.