Melatonin. Mitochondria. Mitophagy. Autophagy. Oh my! Back pain links them all in an interesting way.
Melatonin – the sleep regulating hormone – promotes 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 blocks
the build-up of abnormal mitochondria in cells that may lead
to cell degeneration. In the case of back pain,
this would prevent such disc
cell deterioration 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) The practice of Dr. Tim Schneider presents research that melatonin
and light therapy may intercede in this process and promote
Ottawa back pain relief.
MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION
The practice of Dr. Tim Schneider knows how disc degeneration includes 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 gets rid of oxygen free radicals,
controls mitochondria function and balance, speeds
up mitrophagy and slows apoptosis (cell death).
Melatonin may help treat disc degeneration. (2)
MELATONIN AND LIGHT FOR DISC DEGENERATION AND Ottawa 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 impairment of these cells. Melatonin is an essential
neuroendocrine hormone with good antioxidant effect that acts
on biological clock regulation. (3) Chronic non-specific low back pain
sufferers who added melatonin to 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 offers an analgesic
effect. (4) Melatonin may be another way to treat intervertebral disc degeneration.
LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF
Since melatonin is produced
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 Ottawa back pain sufferers, too! These researchers think
that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which
is mediated by melatonin. (5)
CONTACT The practice of Dr. Tim Schneider
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 Ottawa chiropractic appointment for
your Ottawa back pain. Patients in Ottawa 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 linked, are they
not?