Baton Rouge 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 – promotes sleep which is vital to the body’s ability to recover 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 abnormal mitochondria in cells that may precede cell deterioration. In the case of back pain, this would avoid such disc cell deterioration which could lead to disc degeneration. Autophagy is the normal bodily process that controls cell destruction and creation in the body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is augmented. (1) Spine & Sports Rehab Center presents research that melatonin and light therapy may intercede in this process and promote Baton Rouge back pain relief.

MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION

Spine & Sports Rehab Center understands how disc degeneration includes cellular oxidative stress, mitochondria problems and cell death (aka apoptosis). This is the area researchers imply melatonin may play a beneficial role in the slowing of disc degeneration. Melatonin rids 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 Baton Rouge BACK PAIN

In a biological study of melatonin’s effect on intervertebral disc degeneration, melatonin maintained nucleus pulposus cells influenced by oxidative stress. Such stress leads to impairment of these cells. Melatonin is an significant neuroendocrine hormone with good antioxidant effect that functions 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 reduced pain intensity when moving and resting indicated that melatonin possibly offers pain relieving effect. (4) Melatonin may be another treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.

LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF

Since melatonin is triggered by light and its lack, light treatment helps patients cope 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 Baton Rouge back pain sufferers, too! These researchers think that this light treatment helps the circadian timing of sleep which is facilitated by melatonin. (5)

CONTACT Spine & Sports Rehab 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 Baton Rouge chiropractic appointment for your Baton Rouge back pain. Patients in Baton Rouge 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, aren’t they?

 
Spine & Sports Rehab Center offers chiropractic care of disc degeneration and shares new information about how melatonin and light therapy may be beneficial. 
« View All Nutrition Articles
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."