Patients’ attitudes toward melatonin for musculoskeletal pain: Insights for rehabilitation practice

<h2>Abstract</h2><h3>Objective</h3> To assess the perceptions and attitudes of individuals with chronic MSK pain toward melatonin as a potential treatment for pain management. <h3>Design</h3> Cross-sectional survey. <h3>Setting</h3> Nationwide survey conducted via social media platforms and offline advertisements. <h3>Participants</h3> Adults (≥18 years) with chronic MSK pain. A total of 254 individuals completed the survey (mean age 60.8 years; 87% women). <h3>Methods</h3> Participants completed a custom-designed survey capturing demographics, pain and sleep disturbances, prior melatonin use, and attitudes toward melatonin for pain and sleep. <h3>Main Outcomes and Measures</h3> Descriptive statistics of melatonin use, perceived effectiveness, concerns, and willingness to use melatonin for pain management. <h3>Results</h3> Sleep disturbances were reported by 73% of participants, with insomnia most common. Forty percent had previously used melatonin, primarily for sleep, yet 57% of users were uncertain about its analgesic effects. Willingness to use melatonin was expressed by 79% of users and 83% of non-users for pain management. General concerns included side effects, drug interactions, efficacy, and cost. <h3>Conclusions</h3> While less than half of the participants had used melatonin for sleep, there was a positive attitude towards its use as a potential treatment for MSK pain management. Future high-quality randomised controlled trials are needed to assess the effectiveness of melatonin for MSK pain management.