Melatonin. Mitochondria. Mitophagy. Autophagy. Oh my! Back pain links them all interestingly.
Melatonin – a hormone secreted by the brain at
night to regulate circadian rhythm – manages sleep which
is essential to the body’s ability to recuperate
from the day and prepare 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 precede cell deterioration. In the case of back pain,
this would prevent such deterioration in the cells of the disc which may precede disc
degeneration. Autophagy is a normal practice
that controls cell destruction and creation in the
body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is increased.
(1) The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR shares findings that melatonin
and light therapy may intervene in this process and promote
Colorado Springs back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR knows how disc degeneration involves oxidative
stress on the cell, mitochondria problems and cell death (aka
apoptosis). This is where researchers suggest
melatonin may play a positive role in the slowing
of disc degeneration. Melatonin rids oxygen free radicals,
adjusts mitochondria function and balance, hastens mitrophagy and slows apoptosis (cell death).
Melatonin may help treat disc degeneration. (2)
MELATONIN AND LIGHT FOR DISC DEGENERATION AND Colorado Springs BACK PAIN
In a biological study of melatonin’s effect on intervertebral
disc degeneration, melatonin maintained nucleus
pulposus cells influenced by oxidative stress. Such stress leads
to impairment of these cells. Melatonin is an significant
neuroendocrine hormone with sound antioxidant effect that acts
on biological clock regulation. (3) Chronic non-specific low back pain
sufferers who included melatonin in their treatment
plan experienced a positive increase on the
effect of standard treatments on pain, sleep and depression. The decreased
pain intensity when moving and resting indicated that melatonin
possibly offers pain relieving
effect. (4) Melatonin may be another treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.
LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF
Since melatonin is produced
by light and its lack, light treatment helps patients cope with 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 bettered with morning bright light treatment of US
veterans with chronic low back pain. (5) Such treatment could certainly
help Colorado Springs back pain sufferers, too! These researchers believe
that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which
is facilitated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR
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 Colorado Springs chiropractic appointment for
your Colorado Springs back pain. Patients in Colorado Springs with disc degeneration may find
additional relief with melatonin and light therapy alongside chiropractic treatment. Mitochondria, mitophagy, autophagy,
melatonin and back pain are interestingly linked, aren’t they?