Melatonin. Mitochondria. Mitophagy. Autophagy. Oh my! Back pain connects them all in an interesting way.
Melatonin – the sleep regulating hormone – manages sleep which
is vital to the body’s capability to recuperate
from the day and get ready for the next. Mitophagy stimulates healthy
turnover of mitochondria (the energy producers in cells). Mitophagy blocks
the build-up of abnormal 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 may precede disc
degeneration. Autophagy is the normal bodily practice
that manages cell destruction and creation in the
body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is increased.
(1) Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office shares findings that melatonin
and light therapy may intervene in this process and help with
Groton back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office understands how disc degeneration involves oxidative
stress on the cell, mitochondria problems 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 Groton BACK PAIN
In a biological study of melatonin’s effect on intervertebral
disc degeneration, melatonin sustained nucleus
pulposus cells affected by oxidative stress. Such stress leads
to damage of these cells. Melatonin is an essential
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 found it to positively increase 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 method to
treat intervertebral disc degeneration.
LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF
In so much as melatonin is triggered
by light and its lack, light treatment helps patients deal
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 improved with morning bright light treatment of US
veterans with chronic low back pain. (5) Such treatment could certainly
help Groton back pain sufferers, too! These researchers believe
that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which
is mediated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
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 Groton chiropractic appointment for
your Groton back pain. Patients in Groton with disc degeneration may find
extra relief with melatonin and light therapy together with chiropractic treatment. Mitochondria, mitophagy, autophagy,
melatonin and back pain are interestingly connected, are they
not?