Melatonin. Mitochondria. Mitophagy. Autophagy. Oh my! Back pain links them all in an interesting way. Melatonin – the sleep regulating hormone – helps sleep which is vital to the body’s capability to recover from the day and get ready for the next. Mitophagy promotes healthy turnover of mitochondria (the energy producers in cells). Mitophagy blocks the build-up of dysfunctional mitochondria in cells that may lead to 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 deals with cell destruction and creation in the body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is increased. (1) New Hampshire Spine and Sport shares research that melatonin and light therapy may intervene in this process and help with Southern New Hampshire back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
New Hampshire Spine and Sport understands how disc degeneration involves oxidative stress on the cell, mitochondria issues and cell death (aka apoptosis). This is the area researchers imply melatonin may perform a beneficial role in the reduction of disc degeneration. Melatonin rids oxygen free radicals, controls mitochondria function and balance, hastens mitrophagy and slows apoptosis (cell death). Melatonin may assist in the treatment of disc degeneration. (2)
MELATONIN AND LIGHT FOR DISC DEGENERATION AND Southern New Hampshire 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 harm of these cells. Melatonin is an significant neuroendocrine hormone with good antioxidant effect that works 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 potentially has pain relieving effect. (4) Melatonin may be another treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.
LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF
In so much as melatonin is activated by light and its lack, light treatment assists 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 Southern New Hampshire back pain sufferers, too! These researchers believe that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which is facilitated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
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 Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment for your Southern New Hampshire back pain. Patients in Southern New Hampshire with disc degeneration may discover extra relief with melatonin and light therapy together with chiropractic treatment. Mitochondria, mitophagy, autophagy, melatonin and back pain are interestingly linked, are they not?