Warning: Taking Paracetamol and Ibuprofen for Back Pain Could be Detrimental!

Back pain is a common problem, so most people experience a bout of pain at least once in their lives, and the condition often begins during adolescence and worsens with age.

To reduce the severity of back pain, many resort to taking painkillers. But Dr. Michael Weweg, a resident physician at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, says painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, which are widely used to treat idiopathic back pain (a feeling of discomfort that lasts up to 6 weeks), are ineffective. ineffective. When treating this condition, it can even cause other damage to the body.

Dr. Viweg relied on an analysis of data from 98 randomized controlled trials published between 1964 and 2021.

The trials compared paracetamol and ibuprofen with another analgesic, placebo, or no treatment in patients with acute low back pain of unknown cause.

“The primary measure of interest was the severity of low back pain at the end of treatment on a scale of 0 to 100. The average pain intensity among participants at the start of each trial was 65 out of 100,” said Dr. Veviy. .

For ibuprofen and paracetamol, only a slight decrease in pain relief was reported. Dr. Vivig explained that the data showed no difference between the effects of these drugs and other analgesics.

There were mild signs of side effects from taking ibuprofen and paracetamol, such as nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, and headache.

Investigator Professor James McCauley added: “Our review of pain medications for the treatment of acute unspecified low back pain found significant uncertainty about the effect on pain severity.”

Thus, physicians and patients are advised to be cautious about the use of pain medications.

The National Health Service stated: “Like all medicines, NSAIDs have a risk of side effects. They tend to be more common if you take high doses for a long time, are an older person, or have poor general health.”

Side effects may include:

– indigestion

– Ulcers

– drowsiness

allergic reactions

The NHS adds that “paracetamol by itself is not recommended for back pain,” but it can be used in combination with ibuprofen.

Alternative or additional measures to help relieve low back pain include back stretching exercises. You can also seek help from a physiotherapist.

Ice or heat therapy may also be helpful, in which an ice pack or warm compress is placed on the affected area.

Source: Express