Muscle relaxants and pain relief
Lower back pain is a very common symptom; 18% of the population reports having experienced some form of lower back pain during the last 30 days. Severity of symptoms can range from causing a bit of inconvenience to being totally incapacitating. In addition, it is one of the most common reasons that people visit their physicians.
It is unfortunate that many people are misinformed about the best way to treat lower back pain. The first thing to do when your back begins to bother you is to visit your physician so that he or she can determine whether the problem is musculoskeletal in origin or is the result of some other issue. Once this is discounted as a cause, you can turn your full attention to finding relief from the pain.
You will be glad to hear that 30 to 60 percent of those with lower back pain will feel better within a week. Within 12 weeks, as many as 95 percent will recover. While most people recover completely from a bout of lower back pain, during the recovery period people suffer from discomfort and inconvenience.
Following is a synopsis of treatments that have been shown to be effective in treating lower back pain, as well as those that have been shown to be ineffective:
1. Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID), and is classed as such. Research has shown that back pain can be significantly alleviated when this class of medications is used. Sadly, because these medications can produce side effects, you should not take them if you have had a peptic ulcer or bleeding in the digestive tract. If you have had kidney disease, you should also stay away from them.
2. Tylenol. Several studies have shown that Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen, is effective in treating lower back pain. While it has not been proven that this medication is as helpful as Ibuprofen, it is beneficial and you may want to try it if you cannot take Ibuprofen. You should not use Tylenol if you have had liver disease.
3. Muscle Relaxants. A number of studies have shown that if these medications are taken within the first few weeks of the onset of pain, they are very helpful in alleviating the muscle spasms that often accompany back pain. Since these drugs can be addictive, a doctor’s prescription is required to obtain them. Muscle relaxants produce other side effects which can limit their usefulness. These include drowsiness, lightheadedness and dizziness; therefore, you should not drive or operate machinery when you take these medications.
4. Use of Heat. Using moist heat on the painful area of the back has proven to be useful in alleviating the symptoms of lower back pain. It can be very helpful to use a hot water bottle or moist heat pack on the painful area a few times a day.
5. Use of Cold Packs. Cold packs have been shown to be less effective than the application of heat in relieving lower back pain. You should most likely not use this form of therapy.
6. Exercise. You may be surprised to hear this. Exercise has not proven to be an effective method for relieving lower back pain, regardless of the type of exercises used or the time frame involved. General everyday activity showed more benefit than just bed rest. People who remained active during their bout of lower back pain recovered more quickly than those who stayed in bed.
7. Look for alternative therapies if you are having lower back pain. There has not been conclusive evidence indicating that lower back pain is significantly alleviated by either acupuncture or massage. One study indicated that those who had acupuncture treatments required less pain medications to relieve their symptoms. I would not consider these treatment until more research has been done.
So if you need pain relief for your lower back, what should you do?
I would recommend taking Ibuprofen or Tylenol, if you are not allergic to them, after you have checked with your doctor. You could request that your physician prescribe a muscle relaxer for you to use overnight. Try to keep as active as possible and use heat on the painful area a few times a day. If you are still in pain after a month has gone by or if new symptoms develop, be sure to see your doctor so that he or she can evaluate your condition.