Back pain treatments

Medication for back pain

When a person is experiencing the acute back pain a doctor will usually recommend the painkiller paracetamol. However, if this does not get rid of the pain then non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) will usually be recommended. Ibuprofen is a common over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug.

However, it is important to note that the use of these drugs can often cause some unwanted side-effects.

Indigestion and stomach ulcers can result from people overusing and abusing these anti-inflammatory drugs in order to get rid of their pain.

Especially in people who are older than 45, NSAIDs have been known to cause stomach bleeding.

If you are a person that is perhaps prone to stomach problems, especially this type of bleeding or ulcers, the doctor may recommend other drugs along with the anti-inflammatory drugs. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) will be used to protect the stomach in such cases.

PPIs are used to help prevent stomach ulcers and internal bleeding because they will reduce the amount of acid that is being created in the stomach.

COX-2 inhibitors can also be used to stop the harmful affects of anti-inflammatory drugs on the stomach.

However, COX-2 inhibitors come with their own set of side effects.

Some of the common side effects of COX-2 inhibitors are weakness, fatigue, dizziness, headache, nausea and indigestion.

Also, pregnant women and people with a history of heart problems should not be taking these either.

When the pain is very severe, mild opiate-based painkiller can also be recommended. Codeine and tramadol are some of the most common ones. However, these types of painkillers can cause nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and vomiting.

Stronger opiates such as morphine are very addictive and they can also cause side-effects such as constipation, nausea and vomiting.

Self-care for back pain

When a person has acute back pain it is important to remain positive mentally. It has been shown that people with a positive attitude and mental outlook will be able to deal with the pain better and get rid of it faster as well.

When a person has acute back pain, it is important to remain active, no matter how strange such a suggestion might seem. If you are experiencing a lot of pain, then you must be resting as well, and it is most important to pace yourself by doing everything you would normally do throughout the day, but at a slower and more relaxed rate.

Working and going back to your everyday activities will not only be better for the back, but it can also take your mind away from the back pain and symptoms.

Of course, hot and cold compression can also be used to relieve the swelling and the accompanying pain in the back.