Fish Oil Arthritis Cure

Arthritis is not a "new" condition. Yet every day, patients are diagnosed with the disease. Despite the ancient history of arthritis and the many medical breakthroughs, adults and children continue to struggle on a daily basis. Indeed, there have been significant modern medical breakthroughs, yet one natural treatment method continues to offer hope to arthritis sufferers.

Fish oil is used to treat more than one hundred different types of arthritis. All forms are unique, yet most share similar chronic and painful symptoms. Men, women and children suffer with swelling of the affected areas, morning stiffness, sharp and throbbing pain, localized or widespread pain and a mild to severe loss of mobility.

Just as arthritis can present itself in many different forms, patients can benefit from a wide range of treatment options. Arthritis treatments vary from conventional drug therapies to specialized yoga and other alternative methods. Of course, every arthritis case is unique, so each treatment method may not bring relief to every patient.

Recently, there has been an interesting shift affecting the way that doctors treat patients with arthritis. Natural medicine is becoming more mainstream and alternative treatment methods are more readily available and accepted. One particular trend that is exciting doctors and nutritionists is the use of fish oil to treat arthritis.

It's widely understood that fish oil is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two types of omega-3 fatty acids. Both are highly respected and well documented for their abilities to reduce the inflammation caused by arthritis. The strong anti-inflammatory properties in these acids make fish oil a natural choice for arthritis sufferers. And, naturally, patients have questions. Can fish oil really be considered a treatment for arthritis? If so, does it actually relieve pain?

Most alternative medicine therapies are relatively new and, as a result, can lack the sufficient medical and scientific research needed to provide definite proof. As such, fish oil has yet to be proven effective in clinical trials. However, early research findings are encouraging.

Recent clinical trials and laboratory studies suggest that because of its omega-3 structure, fish oil can be helpful in reducing the morning muscle stiffness and joint pain that so many arthritis patients suffer. Researchers have yet to conclude the appropriate dosage required for maximum effectiveness, and the appropriate durations of fish oil treatment programs.

There are possible side effects to fish oil supplementation that patients need to be aware of:

Clotting

Fish oil has, in some cases, created risks by affecting the blood's clotting abilities. Some patients have found that taking fish oil supplements affects the time it takes for the blood to clot. It's an important issue to consider, especially for patients already taking medication to affect the clotting of blood.

Lower Blood Pressure

Fish oil supplements may also interact with blood pressure medications. Supplementing the diet with fish oil while taking high blood pressure medications may cause a significant drop in blood pressure.

Contaminants

Fish oil may naturally contain significant yet potentially dangerous levels of contaminants. Fish contain naturally-occurring mercury, and may be a poor choice for some patients. There are serious risks associated with the consumption of the contaminants found in fish oil, particularly to young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Shark, tuna, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish are known to contain the highest levels of mercury.

If you are considering taking fish oil supplements to treat arthritis, but you have concerns about the risks, avoid oils derived from those types of fish that are known to contain high levels of mercury. You'll need to conduct some research, but the results are worth the efforts.

Patients should be aware of other possible concerns before starting fish oil therapy for arthritis. Other side effects associated with taking the supplements, such as gas and other stomach disturbances, are usually relatively minor.

Arthritis is certainly not a new disease. However, new treatment options are promising a new relief for arthritis sufferers. To find out more about fish oil, and other alternative arthritis treatments, speak to a trusted herbalist or your family doctor.