Years of research have documented beneficial activities 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 impacts 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 described that even a marginally increased intake of vitamin D was associated with a lower incidence of pain over 5 years in addition to frequency of pain, severity, and number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and Southern New Hampshire back pain, a common problem that affects millions of people around the world? Lately, research has shown that there may be a connection between low levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still early, it is vital for our Southern New Hampshire chiropractic patients and New Hampshire Spine and Sport to grasp what this potential 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 keep bones healthy and strong 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 Southern New Hampshire, sunlight does its job!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with lower levels of vitamin D may be more prone to have chronic back pain than those with better levels of vitamin D. One study 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 outcomes at three months. The results demonstrated that those who had lower levels of vitamin D were more likely to have higher levels of disability correlated with their low back pain at 3 months than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at baseline. (2) Do you know your Southern New Hampshire 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 enhanced levels of the nutrient. This could indicate a relationship between low vitamin D level and heightened odds for chronic or recurrent bouts of back pain. (2) New Hampshire Spine and Sport suggests you listen to this podcast with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses the benefit of proper nutrition in managing a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
Overall, there is evidence suggesting a link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased possibility for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let’s talk about your vitamin D level. Make your Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment with New Hampshire Spine and Sport, your partner in spinal health.