Omega-3 fish oil may replace NSAIDs when it comes to chronic neck and back pain
Added 29.09.2009
Neck back pain - a common plight
In the UK, one in four women and one in five men between the ages of 45 and 75 years suffer from chronic neck pain. Additionally, back pain is the most common cause of sick leave and early retirement. If you suffer from chronic neck or back pain, you know how incapacitating it can be. Many people take nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to put up with the pain. They may help with pain, but NSAIDs come with a long string of very unpleasant side effects. Stomach ulcers, liver and kidney damage, haemorrhage, heart attack and even death, are just some of the things you need to consider when taking NSAIDs. So why worry about how something that is supposedly treating a condition is actually making you sicker when there is a safe, natural alternative.Omega-3 fish oil is an effective, natural painkiller
Omega-3 fish oil is extracted (refined and stripped of heavy metals and toxins) from oily cold water fish, such as salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel and sardines. Omega-3 fatty acids play a vital role in thousands of biochemical processes in our body. Two of the most important fatty acids in omega-3 are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).Omega-3 fish oil is notorious for good health, such as improving mental health, protecting against certain types of cancer, improving mood and behaviour, supporting good vision, reducing inflammation and protecting against heart disease. A study has now found that fish oil is an effective painkiller for neck and back pain.
The Scientific Study
Background information
In this retrospective study, 250 patients with nonsurgical neck or back pain were asked to take 1,200 mg of fish (EPA/DHA) a day. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire one month after starting supplementation. 125 of the 250 patients completed and returned the questionnaire.
Results
- Of the 125 patients, 78% were taking 1,200 mg of fish oil and 22% were taking 2,400 mg of fish oil.
- 59% stopped taking prescription NSAIDs.
- 60% experienced an improvement in overall pain.
- 60% experienced an improvement in joint pain.
- 80% were satisfied with pain improvement.
- 88% would continue to take fish oil supplements.
The link between omega-3 fish oil and chronic neck and back pain
The most common cause of chronic neck and back pain is inflammation of the surrounding muscles and joints. Omega-3 fish oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties and researchers say this is due to the omega-3 fatty acids being converted into anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.Is your selenium level too low?
Please see Dr. Bo Nielsen's comments below.References:
Maroon, J.C. & all. "Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil as an anti-inflammatory: an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain." Surgical Neurology. 65(4): 326-31. April 2006.
Dr. Bo Nielsen's comments:
Once again a study confirms the benefits of taking a fish oil supplement. Arthritis is a major problem for many people. Unfortunately, most doctors still recommend and even prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and other similar drugs. Side effects of these medications, even when taken as prescribed, kill thousands of healthy people every year. Still, these drugs are being prescribed despite the fact that a recent double-blind controlled study proved that the combination of chondroitin and glucosamine was far more (statistically) effective in treating pain than ibuprofen in people suffering from moderate to severe arthritis pain. This excellent study also proves that taking a supplement with fish oil is another way to fight pain while avoiding dangerous side effects. Why not take supplements with chondroitin and glucosamine as well as fish oil to improve the effect of these supplements.
