Inflammation. Disc Degeneration. There is a connection.
Inflammation acts as the body’s response system to harmful
stimuli (injury, pathogens, metabolic stress – a disc herniation pushing
on a nerve!) as it tries to restore itself to normal
before the harm was achieved. Novelli Wellness Center is never
shocked at how the body takes care of itself!
Novelli Wellness Center sees its Orchard Park, NY chiropractic care as a partner of
the body’s system in healing especially
when spine pain is an issue. Chiropractic care utilizes
many tools like spinal manipulation, exercise, and nutrition to take care of
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 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 its cellular level
via autophagy, the natural process via which the body’s
cells clear out damaged (ie, by inflammation) or unneeded parts. In
a recent study, melatonin increased autophagy
and decreased 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 end conclusion was that melatonin inhibits
intervertebral disc degeneration by stimulating autophagy. (3)
Wow. Novelli Wellness Center is encouraged by this research to see just
how well melatonin can work for Orchard Park, NY back pain linked
to disc degeneration.
MELATONIN AND ITS HEALING WAYS FOR THE DISC
Disc degeneration is such a common malady
seen at Novelli Wellness Center that positive news of
melatonin’s benefits are quite rousing. A recent
study explained how melatonin could modulate
the extracellular matrix of the disc remodeling process started
by IL-1 β. Additionally, melatonin decreased the
inflammatory cell collection and decreased the release of associated
inflammatory markers IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. With this new finding
that melatonin disrupted the IL-1B feedback loop, researchers
proposed that melatonin may contribute to
the healing process of intervertebral discs after damage has already been done. (1) Novelli Wellness Center will keep
following the new research regarding the role inflammation performs
in Orchard Park, NY disc degeneration and melatonin’s role in combatting
it.
INFLAMMATION AND MELATONIN
The significance of melatonin in helping
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 fitting.
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 impacts
the body’s aging, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis (cell death), and autophagy
(cell-cleanout) activities. (1) Melatonin’s specific influence on
inflammation and disc degeneration is most attention-getting
to Novelli Wellness Center and our Orchard Park, NY back pain patients.
CONTACT Novelli Wellness Center
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 describes how The Cox® Technic
System of Spinal Pain Management manages disc
degeneration for relief of chronic low back pain in her patient.
Schedule your Orchard Park, NY chiropractic appointment with
Novelli Wellness Center now. We can talk about how inflammation affects your
back pain and how melatonin may help with the related disc
degeneration.