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 vital to the body’s ability to recuperate
from the day and prepare for the next. Mitophagy stimulates healthy
turnover of mitochondria (the energy producers in cells). Mitophagy blocks
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 may lead to disc
degeneration. Autophagy is the normal bodily practice
that manages cell destruction and creation in the
body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is augmented.
(1) Satterwhite Chiropractic presents research that melatonin
and light therapy may intervene in this process and help with
Oxford back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
Satterwhite Chiropractic understands how disc degeneration involves cellular oxidative stress, mitochondria problems 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 Oxford BACK PAIN
In a biological study of melatonin’s effect on intervertebral
disc degeneration, melatonin sustained nucleus
pulposus cells influenced by oxidative stress. Such stress leads
to harm of these cells. Melatonin is an essential
neuroendocrine hormone with sound 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 signified that melatonin
potentially has 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 activated
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 Oxford back pain sufferers, too! These researchers think
that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which
is facilitated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
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 Oxford chiropractic appointment for
your Oxford back pain. Patients in Oxford 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, aren’t they?