Eating foods rich in calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium is the best way to build strong spinal bones and prevent debilitating health problems, such as spinal fracture and osteoporosis.
However, research has also shown that B12 is an extremely important vitamin for spine health. Not only do B vitamins help to reduce inflammation – a key cause of chronic back pain – but they also help our bodies to replace damaged spinal nerve cells with new, healthy ones.
Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency can cause or worsen neck and back pain and muscle spasm.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C, like vitamin D, is an essential vitamin that plays a huge role in immunity and inflammation. It's a powerful antioxidant, so it can reduce inflammation by neutralizing free radicals that cause oxidative damage to your cells ( 55 ).
Fortunately, magnesium is a natural and affordable option for treating many forms of pain, including back pain. While more research and studies can always be done, there is a sufficient amount of research and evidence-based results that show magnesium is an effective pain management solution.
Alternative Treatments
Acupuncture, massage, biofeedback therapy, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation and other nonsurgical spine treatments can also make a difference for chronic back pain. Talk to your spine specialist about alternative treatments that could benefit you.
Vitamin B12 Enhances Nerve Repair and Improves Functional Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury by Inhibiting ER Stress-Induced Neuron Injury.
Results confirmed that vitamin B12 played an essential role in neuronal regeneration through myelination of the injured nerve. It promoted nerve regeneration better than the other B vitamins and better than the combination.
Magnesium has been shown to have neuroprotective properties in short-term spinal cord injury (SCI) studies.
Minerals and vitamins that help maintain a healthy spine include: Magnesium, which can reduce muscle tension, and is found in green leafy vegetables, fish, beans, seeds, nuts, avocados, and bananas.
Green tea is one of the best drinks to avoid back pain, according to Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Branko Prpa. It's a natural anti-inflammatory, and along with its other numerous health benefits, could prevent one of the key causes of back pain - inflammation, he said.
Unfortunately, there's no way to reverse damage to the spinal cord. But researchers are continually working on new treatments, including prostheses and medications, that might promote nerve cell regeneration or improve the function of the nerves that remain after a spinal cord injury.
There is no cure for lumbar spinal stenosis but your healthcare provider can help you manage the condition.
Just as spine misalignment happens over time, correcting it requires a long-term effort. You can start by being more aware of your spine alignment and making sure you stretch your body and get regular exercise. More severe cases of spinal issues may require medical care or surgery.
If you have pain, a dose of 250 to 500 mg of magnesium a day can start to decrease these deficiencies as well as the pain, after just several weeks — while also leaving you feeling more energetic and decreasing your risk of heart disease!
Although many people use magnesium for sleep support, it isn't known to cause tiredness during the day. However, if you want to maximize the benefits for better sleep, it's best to take your magnesium supplement an hour or two before bedtime.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids , which are abundant in fatty fish such as cod, are among the most potent anti-inflammatory supplements.
Several nutritional supplements have shown promise for relieving pain, stiffness and other arthritis symptoms. Glucosamine and chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and curcumin are just some of the natural products researchers have studied for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).