Melatonin Shows Potential as Adjunct Therapy for Chronic Pain, Study Finds

University of Sydney researchers reported that melatonin, widely used as a sleep aid, could also benefit patients suffering from chronic pain accompanied by sleep disorders. The team conducted a systematic review of 23 randomized controlled trials from around the world, encompassing over 2,000 participants, and published the findings in the journal Pain on June 30. The analyzed studies included individuals with chronic low‑back pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, as well as patients recovering from joint‑replacement and spinal surgeries. Researchers concluded that melatonin might be used as a supplementary treatment in this patient group rather than as a substitute for conventional pain‑relieving medications. The authors emphasized the need for further investigation to define optimal dosing and confirm long‑term safety, noting that the specific quantitative outcomes of the meta‑analysis were not detailed in the source excerpt.