Easley Back Pain and Vitamin D: What to Know
Years of research have recorded advantageous 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 keeps 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 don’t always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers found that even a marginally increased intake of vitamin D was associated with 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 Easley back pain, a common problem that affects millions of people globally? Recently, research has revealed that there may be a connection between small levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the proof is still preliminary, it is vital for our Easley chiropractic patients and Young Chiropractic to grasp what this possible connection could mean in managing chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient that assists 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 provides natural sources of vitamin D—its ultraviolet rays transform cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and are deposited in fat tissues. Even in winter in Easley, sunlight is beneficial!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with lower levels of vitamin D may be more likely to experience chronic back pain than those with optimal levels of vitamin D. One report examined the association between biomarkers (such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over time via comparison of biomarkers at baseline to differences in patient-reported results at three months. The results showed that those who had decreased levels of vitamin D were more likely to have higher levels of disability correlated with their low back pain at follow-up than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at baseline. (2) What’s your Easley 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 better levels of the nutrient. This could indicate a link between low vitamin D level and heightened odds for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. (2) Young 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 proper nutrition in managing a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Young Chiropractic
Overall, there is evidence suggesting a link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased risk for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let’s talk about your vitamin D level. Schedule your Easley chiropractic appointment with Young Chiropractic, your collaborator in spinal health.
