Treating Vitamin D Deficiency and Insufficiency in Chronic Neck and Back Pain and Muscle Spasm: A Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: The association between vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency and pain in the musculoskeletal system, especially in the neck and/or back regions, and/or muscle spasm is not well studied. The results of the limited studies have been mixed. CASE
PRESENTATION: The goal of this report is to examine the association between vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency and chronic neck and back pain and muscle spasm and the role of correction of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in the treatment of chronic pain and muscle spasm, especially in the neck and back regions. This case series reviewed medical records to identify patients with chronic pain (lasting from 6 months to 1 year) in the neck and back regions that improved significantly through the correction of the vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Patients were referred to the spine clinic of a tertiary hospital in a major metropolitan area in the Northwest by their primary care physicians after physical therapy and after first-tier pain medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, had failed. Some of the patients had epidural steroid injections without significant relief. The blood vitamin D level was tested at the clinical laboratory, and patients were given 50,000 IU of oral vitamin D once a week for 12 weeks. The main outcome measures were patient self-reported visual analog scale score and degree of muscle spasm. The 4 patients included in this series all had more than 70% improvement in their symptoms after taking 50,000 IU of vitamin D once a week for 12 weeks. DISCUSSION: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency can cause or worsen neck and back pain and muscle spasm. The correction of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency plays an important role in the treatment of chronic neck and back pain and muscle spasm among patients having concurrent vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency because it can be prevented and treated easily.Given the high health care expenditure on the treatment of chronic neck and back pain, prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency not only increase the quality of care but also reduce the cost.