Melatonin. Mitochondria. Mitophagy. Autophagy. Oh my! Back pain connects them all in an interesting way.
Melatonin – the sleep regulating hormone – helps sleep which
is essential to the body’s capability 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 lead
to cell degeneration. In the case of back pain,
this would prevent such deterioration in the cells of the disc which could 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 amplified.
(1) Hollstrom & Associates Inc presents research that melatonin
and light therapy may intercede in this process and help with
Largo back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
Hollstrom & Associates Inc understands how disc degeneration involves oxidative
stress on the cell, mitochondria issues and cell death (aka
apoptosis). This is where researchers imply
melatonin may play a positive role in the slowing
of disc degeneration. Melatonin rids oxygen free radicals,
controls 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 Largo 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 damage of these cells. Melatonin is an important
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 reduced
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
Since melatonin is activated
by light and its lack, light treatment assists patients deal
with 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 improved with morning bright light treatment of US
veterans with chronic low back pain. (5) Such treatment could certainly
help Largo back pain sufferers, too! These researchers suspect
that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which
is mediated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
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 Largo chiropractic appointment for
your Largo back pain. Patients in Largo 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 connected, aren’t they?