Groton Back Pain and Vitamin D: What to Know
Years of research have documented advantageous activities of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, metabolic issues, cancer, inflammation, auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes, thyroiditis, and others. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation keeps getting better! 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 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 Groton back pain, a familiar problem that involves millions of people around the world? Lately, research has revealed that there may be a link between low levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the proof is still preliminary, it is vital for our Groton chiropractic patients and Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office to grasp 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 bones stay strong and healthy by keeping 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 transform cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and stored in fat tissues. Even in winter in Groton, 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 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 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 better levels of vitamin D at baseline. (2) Do you know your Groton 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 bouts of back pain. (2) Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office 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 Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
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 us chat about your vitamin D level. Schedule your Groton chiropractic appointment with Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office, your partner in spinal health.
