Montreal Back Pain and Vitamin D: What to Know
Years of research have recorded advantageous actions 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 growing! Researchers today 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 don’t always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers found that even a marginally enhanced intake of vitamin D was linked to a lesser incidence of pain over 5 years plus to frequency of pain, severity, and number of pain locations. (3) What about vitamin D and Montreal back pain, a common problem that involves millions of people around the world? Lately, research has shown that there may be a link between small levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still preliminary, it’s important for our Montreal chiropractic patients and Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic to grasp what this possible connection could mean in managing chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that assists your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps keep bones healthy and strong 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 offers 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 Montreal, 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 have chronic back pain than those with optimal levels of vitamin D. One study linked biomarkers (such as vitamin D) and pain in acute and subacute low back pain patients over time by comparing biomarkers at baseline to differences in patient-reported results at three months’ follow-up. The results showed that those who had decreased levels of vitamin D were more likely to experience 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 Montreal 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 increased odds for chronic or recurrent episodes of back pain. (2) Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic 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 Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
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 chat about your vitamin D level. Make your Montreal chiropractic appointment with Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic, your partner in spinal health.
