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.
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