Sitka 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 keeps getting better! 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 described that even a marginally enhanced intake of vitamin D was linked to a lower incidence of pain over 5 years plus to frequency of pain, severity, and number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and Sitka back pain, a familiar problem that involves millions of people worldwide? Lately, research has revealed that there may be a link between small levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still preliminary, it’s vital for our Sitka chiropractic patients and Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka to understand what this potential connection could mean in managing 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 Sitka, sunlight helps!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with decreased levels of vitamin D may be more prone 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 by comparing biomarkers at baseline to changes in patient-reported results 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 3 months than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at the start. (2) Do you know your Sitka 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 suggest a link between low vitamin D level and heightened odds for chronic or recurrent bouts of back pain. (2) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka 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 the management of a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
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 chat about your vitamin D level. Schedule your Sitka chiropractic appointment with Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka, your collaborator in spinal health.
