Could Chronic Low Back Pain Lead to a Stroke?

To Your Health
March, 2020 (Vol. 14, Issue 03)

By Editorial Staff

Chronic low back pain, or LBP that lasts for more than about three months, often means it’s been ignored for some time, or masked with over-the-counter / prescription medications instead of a proven option such as chiropractic.

Yes, chronic low back pain may increase stroke risk, suggests a new study published in Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery. The study compared more than 10,000 chronic LBP patients with 20,000-plus patients without low back pain, finding that over an eight-year tracking period, chronic LBP patients  had significantly higher risks of suffering any type of stroke or one of two specific types of stroke: hemorrhagic and ischemic. (The increased risk associated with ischemic stroke was the most significant, according to the authors’ findings.) Interestingly, the increased risk was highest in patients under age 50.

In an ischemic stroke, a blood clot blocks an artery supplying blood to the brain. In a hemorrhagic stroke, an artery in the brain leaks or bursts. Either one – or any of type of stroke – is immediately life threatening. Even stroke survivors can be left with physical and/or mental impairments that significantly limit their quality of life.

low back pain - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark

With that in mind, let’s revisit the all-too-common reality of chronic low back pain: often ignored, endured or masked (but not appropriately treated) with pain medications.  For these people, is a stroke in their future? According to recent statistics, that means an estimated 8-10 percent of U.S. adults could be at risk. And don’t forget that an estimated 80 percent of adults experience at least one episode of low back pain during their lifetime. Without appropriate care, that episode could become chronic as well.

It’s time for a safe, effective solution to low back pain; a solution that addresses the cause, not just the symptoms. It’s time to manage back pain before it ever has a chance of becoming chronic. It’s time for chiropractic – before your low back pain leads to a stroke. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Vitamin D Is Good for Your Heart

To Your Health
December, 2021 (Vol. 15, Issue 12)

By Editorial Staff

Imagine being diagnosed with heart disease and/or high blood pressure (a risk factor for heart disease). What could you have done differently in terms of your lifestyle – exercise more, eat healthier, reduce stress, etc.? Those all could have made a difference; but here’s one you probably wouldn’t consider: your vitamin D intake.

Vitamin D has been known first and foremost for promoting bone health, but its powerful role in promoting a strong immune system has been brought to the public’s attention over the past two years with the COVID pandemic taking center stage. But vitamin D is beneficial for much more than just bone and immune health; in fact, vitamin D even appears to be good for your heart.

heart health - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark

A study published in the European Heart Journal suggests people with normal vitamin D levels are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease than people with vitamin D deficiency. Study participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D (blood levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D) had double the risk for heart disease compared to participants with normal levels.

What’s your vitamin D status? If you don’t worry about it – or just meet the RDA requirement – you’re doing yourself and your health a tremendous disservice. Talk to your doctor about the profound health benefits of vitamin D and find out whether supplementation is necessary. Your heart will thank you for it.