San Jose Back Pain and Vitamin D: What to Know
Years of research have recorded beneficial actions of the hormone, vitamin D, on the skeleton, inflammation, cancer, metabolic issues, auto-immunity, endocrinopathies, and now adrenal diseases, diabetes, thyroiditis, and more. (1) Vitamin D’s reputation continues getting better! Researchers now are analyzing vitamin D’s impacts 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 discovered that even a slightly 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 San Jose back pain, a common problem that affects millions of people around the world? Lately, research has shown that there may be a connection between low levels of vitamin D and back pain. While the evidence is still early, it is important for our San Jose chiropractic patients and Chiropractic Solutions to grasp what this possible 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 absorbed from foods such as dairy products, fish, eggs, mushrooms, and some vegetables. Sunlight also offers natural sources of vitamin D—its ultraviolet rays transform cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D3 which is then absorbed into the bloodstream and are deposited in fat tissues. Even in winter in San Jose, sunlight does its job!
HOW CAN VITAMIN D HELP WITH BACK PAIN?
Research suggests that those with lower levels of vitamin D may be more prone 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 by comparing biomarkers at baseline to changes 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 related to their low back pain at 3 months than those who had higher levels of vitamin D at baseline. (2) Do you know your San Jose 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 bouts of back pain. (2) Chiropractic Solutions 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 adequate nutrition in managing a patient with 3 disc herniations via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions
Overall, there is evidence pointing to 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. Schedule your San Jose chiropractic appointment with Chiropractic Solutions, your partner in spinal health.
