Inflammation. Disc Degeneration. There is a connection.
Inflammation acts as the body’s response system to damaging
stimuli (injury, pathogens, metabolic stress – a disc herniation pushing
on a nerve!) as it attempts to repair itself
before the harm was done. Aaron Chiropractic Clinic is always amazed at what the body can do!
Aaron Chiropractic Clinic sees its Fort Wayne chiropractic care as the body’s partner in healing particularly
when there is spine pain. Chiropractic care uses
many tools like spinal manipulation, exercise, and nutrition to take care of
the body. Melatonin is one nutritional tool that is showing value
in its ability to interrupt 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 associated with 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 the cellular level
via autophagy, the natural process via which the body’s
cells clear out damaged (ie, by inflammation) or unneeded parts. In
a new study, melatonin enhanced autophagy
and lessened the degradation of the disc’s
extracellular matrix (technically indicated by a decline
in marker LC3B, autophagasomes and autolysosomes and inhibition of the NF-kB
signaling pathway). The end conclusion was that melatonin prevents
intervertebral disc degeneration by promoting autophagy. (3)
Wow. Aaron Chiropractic Clinic is inspired by this research to see just
how well melatonin can perform for Fort Wayne back pain related
to disc degeneration.
MELATONIN AND ITS HEALING WAYS FOR THE DISC
Disc degeneration is such a common malady
seen at Aaron Chiropractic Clinic that positive news of
melatonin’s benefits are quite exciting. A recent
study explained how melatonin could modify
the extracellular matrix of the disc remodeling process started
by IL-1 β. Further, melatonin reduced the
inflammatory cell collection and decreased the release of connected
inflammatory markers IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. With this new finding
that melatonin disrupted the IL-1B feedback loop, researchers
suggested that melatonin may contribute to
the healing process of intervertebral discs after damage has already been done. (1) Aaron Chiropractic Clinic will keep
following the new research on the role inflammation has
in Fort Wayne 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 mechanisms is quite suitable.
It is 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 produces 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 Aaron Chiropractic Clinic and our Fort Wayne back pain patients.
CONTACT Aaron Chiropractic Clinic
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 manages disc
degeneration for relief of chronic low back pain in her patient.
Schedule your Fort Wayne chiropractic appointment with
Aaron Chiropractic Clinic now. We can talk about how inflammation affects your
back pain and how melatonin may help with the related disc
degeneration.