Inflammation. Disc Degeneration. There is a relationship.
Inflammation is the body’s response to harmful
stimuli (injury, pathogens, metabolic stress – a disc herniation pushing
on a nerve!) as it attempts to restore itself to normal
before the harm was achieved. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. is always amazed at how the body takes care of itself!
Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. sees its Auburn chiropractic care as the body’s partner in healing particularly
when there is spine pain. Chiropractic care utilizes
many tools like spinal manipulation, exercise, and nutrition to help
the body. Melatonin is one nutritional tool that is proving value
by interrupting the inflammatory process
related disc herniation that results
in back pain, neck pain and other spine related pain.
DISC DEGENERATION AND INFLAMMATION AND 'AUTOPHAGY'
Inflammatory markers interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6
(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are linked to intervertebral disc degeneration. (1) IL-1 β actually promotes
itself, its own expression, by upregulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation. (2)
The body controls itself down to its cellular level
via autophagy, the natural process during which the body’s
cells clear out damaged (ie, by inflammation) or unneeded parts. In
a recent study, melatonin boosted autophagy
and lessened the degradation of the disc’s
extracellular matrix (technically marked by a decrease
in marker LC3B, autophagasomes and autolysosomes and inhibition of the NF-kB
signaling pathway). The final conclusion was that melatonin inhibits
intervertebral disc degeneration by promoting autophagy. (3)
Wow. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. is inspired by this research to see just
how well melatonin can perform for Auburn back pain linked
to disc degeneration.
MELATONIN AND ITS HEALING WAYS FOR THE DISC
Disc degeneration is quite a common malady
seen at Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. that positive news of
melatonin’s benefits are quite rousing. A recent
study described that melatonin could modulate
the extracellular matrix of the disc remodeling process initiated
by IL-1 β. Further, melatonin reduced the
inflammatory cell collection and reduced the release of connected
inflammatory markers IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. With this new discovery
that melatonin disrupted the IL-1B feedback loop, researchers
proposed that melatonin may contribute to
the restoration process of intervertebral discs after damage has already been done. (1) Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. continues
following the new research regarding the role inflammation has
in Auburn disc degeneration and melatonin’s role in reducing
it.
INFLAMMATION AND MELATONIN
The significance of melatonin in assisting
to slow or stop painful conditions due to inflammation is growing.
The description of melatonin as a multitasking molecule influencing
mood, immunity, and energy among other things is quite apropos.
It’s also anti-oxidant, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory, specifically
by blocking the activation of inflammasomes (4) Melatonin’s
formal chemical name is as about as long as its list of tasks: N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine.
The pineal gland secretes melatonin naturally. Melatonin influences
the body’s aging, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis (cell death), and autophagy
(cell-cleanout) activities. (1) Melatonin’s specific effect on
inflammation and disc degeneration is most attention-getting
to Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. and our Auburn back pain patients.
CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Hrefna Sylvia based in Iceland where back pain isn’t much different
from any other country on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr.
Michael Johnson as she illustrates how The Cox® Technic
System of Spinal Pain Management handles disc
degeneration for relief of chronic low back pain in her patient.
Schedule your Auburn chiropractic appointment with
Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. soon. We can discuss how inflammation affects your
back pain and how melatonin may help with the related disc
degeneration.