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 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 disc
cell deterioration which could lead to disc
degeneration. Autophagy is a normal process
that controls cell destruction and creation in the
body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is amplified.
(1) Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. presents findings that melatonin
and light therapy may intervene in this process and help with
Auburn back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. knows how disc degeneration involves cellular oxidative stress, mitochondria issues and cell death (aka
apoptosis). This is the area researchers imply
melatonin may play 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 Auburn 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 impairment of these cells. Melatonin is an vital
neuroendocrine hormone with good antioxidant effect that functions
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 an analgesic
effect. (4) Melatonin may be another method to
treat 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 handle chronic low back pain, its pain intensity, behavior, and
threshold. It also assists
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 Auburn back pain sufferers, too! These researchers think
that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which
is mediated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
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 Auburn chiropractic appointment for
your Auburn back pain. Patients in Auburn 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, are they
not?