La Grande Back Pain and Vitamin D: What to Know
Years of research have detailed beneficial 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 continues growing! 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 don’t always take the recommended amount of vitamin D, researchers found 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 La Grande back pain, a common problem that involves millions of people worldwide? 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 La Grande chiropractic patients and Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC to grasp what this potential connection could mean for those suffering from chronic back pain.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat. It also helps keep bones healthy and strong 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—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 La Grande, sunlight helps!
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 changes in patient-reported results at three months. The results demonstrated that those who had lower 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 La Grande 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 episodes of back pain. (2) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC 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 Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
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’s talk about your vitamin D level. Schedule your La Grande chiropractic appointment with Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC, your collaborator in spinal health.
