Vitamin D deficiency is emerging as a potential factor in many chronic pain conditions. If you have back pain that has not responded to treatment, it is a good idea to have your vitamin D levels tested.
Vitamin D is usually absorbed through the skin from sunlight, and a small amount is obtained through diet. The winter months leave people in cold places at greater risk of becoming deficient in this vitamin, but anyone who doesn't get much sunlight is at risk during all seasons.
Dr. Stewart Leavitt, executive director of Pain Treatment Topics, reviewed 22 studies assessing vitamin D levels in people with chronic pain. These studies represented 3,670 participants from various countries and of various ages. Leavitt found that 70% of chronic pain patients in these studies had deficient levels of vitamin D. In one study of 360 females with back pain, vitamin D supplementation resulted in improved symptoms for over 95% of participants.
Vitamin D and Calcium
Vitamin D plays many roles in the body, including the facilitation of calcium absorption. There are vitamin D receptors in the intestines that help calcium from the foods we eat to be absorbed through the intestinal wall into the blood, which then delivers it to many parts of the body, especially bones. Calcium keeps bones hard and strong. When vitamin D deficiency leads to inadequate amounts of calcium available to bones, this condition is called hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia, even on a small level, can increase the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH).
PTH is responsible for regulating the amounts of calcium in the body. When calcium levels fall low, PTH kicks in to increase levels. It does so partly by causing calcium to be released from bone. This is because other tissues of your body need calcium; muscles, for example, require calcium for contraction. Chronically high levels of PTH lead to improper bone mineralization, which is the process of transforming calcium and phosphorus into hard bone layers. High PTH levels can cause a spongy layer to form beneath the periosteum, or membrane that covers bones. This layer can expand by absorbing fluids and create pressure on the periosteum. A significant amount of pain can be experienced during this process, as periosteal membranes contain many nerves.
Low calcium levels cause bones to grow softer and weaker. Osteomalacia is the name given to this condition. Osteomalacia in the lower back can cause significant pain, as this area is highly mobile.
Since muscle contraction is facilitated by calcium, low levels of calcium (caused by low levels of vitamin D) lead to weaker muscles. Weak muscles are highly susceptible to fatigue and strain as they are incapable of performing work. The spine requires strong core muscles, including muscles in the lower back, to keep it aligned and upright. Weak muscles throughout the body will distort posture, which will cause pain in addition to fatigue and strain.
Aching bones and muscle pain are symptoms of many possible conditions, vitamin D deficiency being one. If you experience these symptoms and have not responded to other forms of treatment, it is possible that a deficiency in this crucial vitamin is the overlooked cause of your condition.
Besides facilitating calcium absorption, vitamin D acts to improve immune function, modulate the inflammatory response and regulate mood. If you receive a blood test that reveals a deficiency, your doctor can help determine what dosage is right for you. The vitamin is toxic in very high doses, so don't exceed recommended doses.
Vitamin D supplementation is affordable and safe to do independently, as long as you use as directed. The supplement is ideal for people who don't get plenty of sunlight due to sensitivity or climate, who have dark skin pigment, who are advanced in age or who have chronic pain. Vitamin D is natural, inexpensive and, when used properly, very safe. For more on vitamin D from Dr. Stewart Leavitt, read his extensive article at http://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/nutraceutical/vitamin-d-chronic-pain?page=0.
No comments:
Post a Comment