Fish oil supplements contain essential fatty acids or EFAs and can help to treat problems with the neck and back. These supplements can be safer to some other drugs. Studies show that fish oils work as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS.
Maroon and Bost have studied about two-hundred fifty people for neck and back pain. All of these patients were on NSAIDs at the time and none had any allergies to fish or taking drugs that thin the blood. The problem, however, with NSAIDS is that they can have side effects such as stomach ulcers and can increase the risk of strokes in some patients.

The switch to fish oil entailed a daily dose of 2.4 grams for the first two weeks and after that, the dose was cut in half. One month into the study, the patients received surveys and most of them returned the surveys after consuming fish oil for two and a half months.

The results of the survey concluded that sixty percent of the patients experienced an improvement in the pain of their backs, necks and joints. Eighty percent said they were perfectly satisfied with these improvements while nearly ninety percent said that they would continue taking the fish oil supplements.

Although there were some weaknesses in their studies, as the researchers admitted, the results were, over all, highly successful. The researchers have also stated that the fish oil supplements were not compared to other supplements, which did not contain omega-3 EFAs.

Maroon and Bost have stated that their study confirms many previous studies that have shown the health benefits of omega-3 EFSs. These benefits include a lowering of the risk of blood clots, reduction in pain, a boost to the immune system and healthy dilation of blood vessels.

Special studies have been called for to substantiate the efficiency of omega-3 EFAs for spine and neck related pain.