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 more. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation continues
getting better! Researchers today 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 found
that even a marginally enhanced intake of
vitamin D was associated with 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 Manahawkin back pain, a familiar
problem that influences millions of people worldwide? Lately, research has revealed
that there may be a connection between small levels of
vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still preliminary,
it’s vital for our Manahawkin chiropractic
patients and Manahawkin Chiropractic Center to understand what this potential
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 bones stay strong and healthy by keeping 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 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 Manahawkin, 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 differences
in patient-reported outcomes at three months’ follow-up.
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 follow-up
than those who had better levels of vitamin D at the start.
(2) Do you know your Manahawkin 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 adequate levels of the nutrient. This
could indicate a relationship between low vitamin D
level and heightened risk for chronic or recurrent episodes
of back pain. (2) Manahawkin Chiropractic Center 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 Manahawkin Chiropractic Center
Overall, there is evidence suggesting 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 Manahawkin
chiropractic appointment with Manahawkin Chiropractic Center, your collaborator
in spinal health.