Melatonin May Help Alleviate Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

THURSDAY, July 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For people with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, melatonin seems beneficial, while the evidence remains limited for postoperative pain, according to a review published online June 30 in PAIN.

Kangchao Wu, from the School of Health Science at The University of Sydney, and colleagues searched six databases to examine the efficacy and effectiveness of melatonin for pain intensity and sleep quality among people with chronic or postoperative MSK pain. Placebo or active controls (such as analgesics) were included as comparators.

Twenty-three randomized controlled trials were included, with 2,028 participants. The researchers found that melatonin was not superior to placebo for reducing pain for people with chronic MSK pain, but was superior to active controls; melatonin was superior to placebo in a sensitivity analysis that included only low-risk studies. Melatonin was superior to placebo for people with postoperative pain, with effects similar to active controls. In people with chronic MSK pain, but not in those with postoperative pain, sleep quality favored melatonin. Mild and transient adverse events were seen.

“Our advice isn”t for melatonin to replace every pain medication,” Wu said in a statement. “Instead, after consultation with a doctor, it may be used as an adjunct to existing treatments, particularly for people who also experience sleep problems.”

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