A new study by researchers at Brunel University London, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Sydney, published in the BMJ, looked at 69 different medicines or combinations of analgesic medicines including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol, opioids, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, skeletal muscle relaxants and corticosteroids to compare their effectiveness for adults with acute low back pain. The research revealed that despite the ongoing popularity of medicines to treat low back pain, considerable uncertainty remains around their overall impact on pain relief and safety when compared with a placebo. It was also found that some analgesic medicines could increase the risk of adverse
Uncertainties over back pain relief as seen on The Hippocratic Post.