Some medications don ’ t help back pain as much as we thought

This study found that NSAIDs don’t work as well for back pain as many people think. However, it is not true (as stated by some headlines about this study) that NSAIDs were not effective at all. Some people did improve with these medications. The trick is figuring out in advance who is most likely to get better with NSAID therapy. We can’t yet do that very well. Here’s my suggestion: if you take an NSAID for spinal pain (or just about any other pain), keep track of how you’re feeling. A “pain diary” is one way to do this. If you aren’t clearly better in a week or two, talk to your doctor about adjusting the dose or stopping it. There’s no sense continuing with a treatment that’s not helping you. The post Some medications don’t help back pain as much as we thought appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Back Pain Drugs and Supplements Pain Management Source Type: blogs