Melatonin. Mitochondria. Mitophagy. Autophagy. Oh my! Back pain links them all in an interesting way.
Melatonin – a hormone secreted by the brain at
night to regulate circadian rhythm – helps sleep which
is essential to the body’s capability to recuperate
from the day and get ready for the next. Mitophagy promotes healthy
turnover of mitochondria (the energy producers in cells). Mitophagy prevents
the build-up of dysfunctional mitochondria in cells that may lead
to cell deterioration. In the case of back pain,
this would avoid such deterioration in the cells of the disc which could lead to disc
degeneration. Autophagy is the normal bodily procedure
that manages cell destruction and creation in the
body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is augmented.
(1) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation presents findings that melatonin
and light therapy may intercede in this process and help with
Tonawanda back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation understands how disc degeneration involves cellular oxidative stress, mitochondria problems and cell death (aka
apoptosis). This is where researchers suggest
melatonin may play a beneficial role in the slowing
of disc degeneration. Melatonin rids oxygen free radicals,
adjusts mitochondria function and balance, hastens mitrophagy and reduces apoptosis (cell death).
Melatonin may help treat disc degeneration. (2)
MELATONIN AND LIGHT FOR DISC DEGENERATION AND Tonawanda BACK PAIN
In a biological study of melatonin’s effect on intervertebral
disc degeneration, melatonin preserved nucleus
pulposus cells affected by oxidative stress. Such stress leads
to harm of these cells. Melatonin is an vital
neuroendocrine hormone with sound antioxidant effect that acts
on biological clock regulation. (3) Chronic non-specific low back pain
sufferers who added melatonin to their treatment
plan experienced a positive increase on the
effect of standard treatments on pain, sleep and depression. The reduced
pain intensity when moving and resting signified that melatonin
potentially offers pain relieving
effect. (4) Melatonin may be another way to treat intervertebral disc degeneration.
LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF
Since melatonin is triggered
by light and its lack, light treatment assists patients handle chronic low back pain, its pain intensity, behavior, and
threshold. It also helps
with post-traumatic stress disorders symptomatology and quality of sleep. All
these were improved with morning bright light treatment of US
veterans with chronic low back pain. (5) Such treatment could surely
help Tonawanda back pain sufferers, too! These researchers suspect
that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which
is mediated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation
Listen to the PODCAST
with Dr. Chris DeVeau on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael
Johnson. A patient struggling with neck pain and arm pain found
difficulty with sleep and relief with Cox® Technic.
Schedule a Tonawanda chiropractic appointment for
your Tonawanda back pain. Patients in Tonawanda with disc degeneration may find
additional relief with melatonin and light therapy together with chiropractic treatment. Mitochondria, mitophagy, autophagy,
melatonin and back pain are interestingly linked, aren’t they?