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Sitka 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 the sleep regulating hormone – helps sleep which is essential to the body’s ability to recover from the day and get ready for the next.  Mitophagy stimulates 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 prevent such disc cell deterioration which may precede disc degeneration. Autophagy is a normal procedure that manages cell destruction and creation in the body. When there is cellular stress, autophagy is increased. (1) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka shares findings that melatonin and light therapy may intercede in this process and help with Sitka back pain relief.

MITOCHONDRIA AND DISC DEGENERATION

Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka understands how disc degeneration includes 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 gets rid of oxygen free radicals, adjusts mitochondria function and balance, speeds up mitrophagy and slows apoptosis (cell death). Melatonin may assist in the treatment of disc degeneration. (2)

MELATONIN AND LIGHT FOR DISC DEGENERATION AND Sitka 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 harm 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 signified that melatonin potentially has an analgesic effect. (4) Melatonin may be another treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.

LIGHT THERAPY AND BACK PAIN RELIEF

In so much as melatonin is triggered by light and its lack, light treatment assists patients handle 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 surely help Sitka back pain sufferers, too! These researchers believe that this light treatment regulates the circadian timing of sleep which is mediated by melatonin. (5)

CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka

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 Sitka chiropractic appointment for your Sitka back pain. Patients in Sitka with disc degeneration may discover additional relief with melatonin and light therapy together with chiropractic treatment. Mitochondria, mitophagy, autophagy, melatonin and back pain are interestingly linked, are they not?

 
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka uses chiropractic care of disc degeneration and shares new information about how melatonin and light therapy may be beneficial. 
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"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."