Fish Oil for Pain

Pain is felt by an estimated 76 million Americans each year according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, or AAPM. This statistic according to the AAPM shows that pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. The National Library of Medicine states that pain is a feeling triggered in the nervous system. The nervous system interprets pain based on a painful stimulus elsewhere in the body. There are many treatments that are intended to treat pain. Some of these include nutritional supplements like fish oil.

Pain

According to the book "Textbook of Medical Physiology," pain is detected through various pain receptors throughout the body. There are three types of stimuli that excite these pain receptors, mechanical, thermal and chemical stimuli. Chemical stimulation is a result of inflammation caused by injury or from long-standing chronic conditions. The inflammatory chemicals that are released in the blood stimulate these receptors and cause a feeling of pain after the stimulus is processed in the brain. One way to decrease pain is to decrease the amount of inflammation in the body. One source of inflammation is through foods that are pro-inflammatory in the diet. Fish oil is a natural substance that has anti-inflammatory effects.

Omega-3

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that the body must get through diet. They are important in many body functions including brain function and they have several health benefits. The University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, states that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids help balance the dietary fats. Other fats that are in the typical American diet can cause an increase in body inflammation. The Office of Dietary Supplements states that the American diet is deficient in omega-3 fatty acids and is unbalanced with as much as 10 times more of the pro-inflammatory fats. Therefore omega-3 fatty acids can affect pain levels by lowering the amount of inflammation in the body.

Sources

Omega-3 fats can be found in fish like salmon, trout, herring, tuna, halibut, algae, krill, soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts and flaxseed according to the UMMC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Fish oil supplements are also available that contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help with inflammation and pain.

Considerations

Omega-3 fatty acids are not the only essential fat. Omega-6 fatty acids are also essential, but they tend to cause inflammation. Therefore it is important to balance these two omega fats. Common sources of omega-6 fatty acids according to the CDC, are soybean oil, corn oil and safflower oil.

Expert Insight

Balancing fats can get confusing. In general it is important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and at least two times per week include fish like salmon. This can help keep the balance in the diet. To be sure that omega-3 fats are being included in the diet, it is a good idea to take a fish oil supplement with or without chronic pain. Omega-3 fish oil is a good and essential nutrient for the body and it also has other health benefits for the heart and can help with pain levels in some people with chronic pain.