title: Improvement of chronic back pain or failed back surgery with vitamin D repletion: a case series.
abstract: This article reviews 6 selected cases of improvement/resolution of chronic back pain or failed back surgery after vitamin D repletion in a Canadian family practice setting. Pub Med was searched for articles on chronic back pain, failed back surgery, and vitamin D deficiency. Chronic low back pain and failed back surgery may improve with repletion of vitamin D from a state of deficiency/insufficiency to sufficiency. Vitamin D insufficiency is common; repletion of vitamin D to normal levels in patients who have chronic low back pain or have had failed back surgery may improve quality of life or, in some cases, result in complete resolution of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Canada. gschwalf@telus.net
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwalfenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D014807:Vitamin D