Years of research have recorded beneficial
actions of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, inflammation,
cancer, metabolic issues,
auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes,
thyroiditis, and others. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation continues
growing! Researchers now are evaluating
vitamin D’s effects on biomarkers like CRP, NPY, TNF-alpha, etc.,
after spinal manipulation and medical care. (2) In older adults who tend
to not always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers found
that even a marginally increased intake of
vitamin D was linked to a lesser incidence of
pain over 5 years in addition to frequency of pain, severity, and
number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and Millville back pain, a familiar
problem that influences millions of people around the
world? Recently, research has shown
that there may be a connection between small levels of
vitamin D and back pain. While the proof is still preliminary,
it is important for our Millville chiropractic
patients and Wilson Family Chiropractic to understand what this potential
connection could mean in managing chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps
your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps bones stay strong and healthy by preventing them
from becoming brittle or weak. Vitamin D can be absorbed from foods such as dairy products, fish, eggs, mushrooms, and some
vegetables. Sunlight also offers natural sources of vitamin D—the
ultraviolet rays transform cholesterol in the skin into vitamin
D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and stored
in fat tissues. Even in winter in Millville, sunlight does its job!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with decreased
levels of vitamin D may be more prone to have
chronic back pain than those with better levels of vitamin D. One
report linked biomarkers
(such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over
time by comparing biomarkers at baseline to differences
in patient-reported outcomes at three months’ follow-up.
The results demonstrated that those who had lower
levels of vitamin D were more likely to have higher levels of
disability related to their low back pain at 3 months
than those who had better levels of vitamin D at baseline.
(2) Do you know your Millville vitamin D level?
CHECK YOUR VITAMIN D LEVEL
Researchers have found that those with lower levels of
Vitamin D tend to report more frequent episodes of back pain than their
counterparts with adequate levels of the nutrient. This
could suggest a relationship between low vitamin D
level and heightened risk for chronic or recurrent episodes
of back pain. (2) Wilson Family Chiropractic suggests you listen to this podcast with Dr.
James Cox on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he reviews the
benefit of adequate nutrition in the management of
a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management.
CONTACT Wilson Family Chiropractic
Overall, there is evidence pointing to a
link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased possibility for
chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let us chat
about your vitamin D level. Schedule your Millville
chiropractic appointment with Wilson Family Chiropractic, your collaborator
in spinal health.