Juneau Chiropractic Relief of Back Pain due to Disc Degeneration May Be Boosted by Melatonin and Light Therapy
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 – manages sleep which is vital to the body’s ability 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 precede cell deterioration. In the case of back pain, this would prevent such disc cell deterioration which may precede disc degeneration. Autophagy is a normal practice that controls cell destruction and creation in the body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is increased. (1) Aurora Chiropractic Center shares findings that melatonin and light therapy may intervene in this process and help with Juneau back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
Aurora Chiropractic Center knows how disc degeneration includes oxidative stress on the cell, mitochondria problems and cell death (aka apoptosis). This is the area researchers suggest melatonin may perform a beneficial role in the slowing of disc degeneration. Melatonin gets rid of oxygen free radicals, normalizes mitochondria function and balance, speeds up mitrophagy and reduces apoptosis (cell death). Melatonin may help treat disc degeneration. (2)
MELATONIN AND LIGHT FOR DISC DEGENERATION AND Juneau BACK PAIN
In a biological study of melatonin’s effect on intervertebral disc degeneration, melatonin preserved nucleus pulposus cells influenced by oxidative stress. Such stress leads to harm of these cells. Melatonin is an vital 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 signified that melatonin possibly offers pain relieving effect. (4) Melatonin may be another way to treat intervertebral disc degeneration.
LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF
Since 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 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 surely help Juneau back pain sufferers, too! These researchers believe that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which is mediated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT Aurora Chiropractic Center
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 Juneau chiropractic appointment for your Juneau back pain. Patients in Juneau with disc degeneration may find additional relief with melatonin and light therapy alongside chiropractic treatment. Mitochondria, mitophagy, autophagy, melatonin and back pain are interestingly linked, are they not?
