St Peters Back Pain and Vitamin D: What to Know
Years of research have recorded beneficial activities of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, metabolic issues, cancer, inflammation, auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes, thyroiditis, and more. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation continues growing! Researchers now are testing 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 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 St Peters back pain, a common problem that affects millions of people globally? Recently, research has revealed that there may be a connection between low levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still preliminary, it is important for our St Peters chiropractic patients and Old Mill Chiropractic to understand what this possible connection could mean for those suffering from chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient that helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps keep bones healthy and strong by preventing them from getting brittle or weak. Vitamin D can be found in foods such as dairy products, fish, eggs, mushrooms, and some vegetables. Sunlight also provides natural sources of vitamin D—the ultraviolet rays convert cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and are deposited in fat tissues. Even in winter in St Peters, sunlight is beneficial!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with decreased levels of vitamin D may be more likely to have chronic back pain than those with optimal levels of vitamin D. One report linked 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 showed 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 follow-up than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at the start. (2) Do you know your St Peters 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 relationship between low vitamin D level and increased risk for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. (2) Old Mill 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 Old Mill Chiropractic
Overall, there is evidence pointing to a link between a low Vitamin D level and an increased risk for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. Let us talk about your vitamin D level. Schedule your St Peters chiropractic appointment with Old Mill Chiropractic, your partner in spinal health.
