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, there is also a huge range of treatment options. These vary from conventional drug therapies to alternative methods such as specialized yoga. Every arthritis case is unique and so, not every treatment method will bring the same results all patients.
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.
Fish oil is known to be rich in two types of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both of these omega-3 fatty acids are highly respected and well documented for their abilities to reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis. These strong anti-inflammatory properties make fish oils a natural choice for arthritis sufferers. Of course, patients do have questions. Do fish oils work as arthritis treatments? More importantly, can fish oil actually relieve pain?
Most alternative medicine therapies are relatively new, so they are not backed with the sufficient medical and scientific research needed to provide definite proof. Fish oil, as such, has yet to be proven effective in clinical trials. Still, 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
In some cases, fish oil has created risks by affecting the blood's clotting abilities. In other words, some patients may find that fish oil affects the time it takes for the blood to clot. In cases where the patient is already taking medication to affect the clotting of blood, this is an important issue to consider.
Reduced Blood Pressure
Some patients taking fish oil supplements have found that the treatment may interact with existing blood pressure medications. If you supplement your diet with fish oil while taking high blood pressure medication, it may cause a significant drop in your blood pressure.
Natural Contaminants
Fish oil can contain significant and potentially dangerous levels of contaminants. Fish contains naturally-occurring mercury, making fish oil a poor choice for some patients. There may be serious risk associated with the consumption of fish oil, particularly to young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Tuna, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and shark typically 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.
While patients should be aware of the concerns before starting fish oil therapy for arthritis, there are few side effects once they start taking the supplements. Those possible side effects, such as gas and other stomach disturbances, are usually relatively minor.
Arthritis is not new, but alternative treatment options have promised new relief for patients. Seek the advice of a trusted herbalist or medical practitioner to learn more about fish oil and other alternative arthritis treatments.
Article Source: http://www.orbitaloc.com/
Contributor Mabel Dugmore contributes articles to a variety of web magazines, on healthy aging and doulas issues.
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