Link Between Low Vitamin D Levels And Chronic Pain

Today's short post from prohealth.com (see link below) is another study filling in the gaps regarding the link between vitamin D deficiency and nerve pain problems. If you needed any persuading to get your vitamin D levels checked, this should help because it's becoming increasingly clear that people with low vitamin D levels, are more likely to suffer from nerve pain symptoms. The vitamin D supplements are reasonably cheap and will benefit you in other ways too, so it may well be worth your while talking to your doctor and paying a visit to your local health shop.

Low Vitamin D Levels May Contribute to Central Sensitivity
By R. von Känel, et al. April 23, 2014

Vitamin D and Central Hypersensitivity in Patients with Chronic Pain.

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Low vitamin D is implicated in various chronic pain conditions with, however, inconclusive findings. Vitamin D might play an important role in mechanisms being involved in central processing of evoked pain stimuli but less so for spontaneous clinical pain.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the relation between low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH D) and mechanical pain sensitivity.

DESIGN: We studied 174 patients (mean age 48 years, 53% women) with chronic pain. A standardized pain provocation test was applied, and pain intensity was rated on a numerical analogue scale (0-10). The widespread pain index and symptom severity score (including fatigue, waking unrefreshed, and cognitive symptoms) following the 2010 American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia were also assessed. Serum 25-OH D levels were measured with a chemiluminescent immunoassay.

RESULTS: Vitamin deficiency (25-OH D? 

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a role of low vitamin D levels for heightened central sensitivity, particularly augmented pain processing upon mechanical stimulation in chronic pain patients. Vitamin D seems comparably less important for self-reports of spontaneous chronic pain.

Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Source: Pain Medicine, April 14, 2014. By R. von Känel, V. Müller-Hartmannsgruber, G. Kokinogenis and N. Egloff. Department of General Internal Medicine, Division of Psychosomatic Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?B1=FACEBOOK&libid=18902