Activity and pain killers best for back pain

British Medical Journal, Feb 10, 2001 by Kiran Somani

Staying active and using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants are among the most effective ways to treat back pain, according to the bulletin Effective Health Care (2000;6(5)).

The bulletin summarises the research evidence on the effectiveness of the most common non-surgical treatments for acute and chronic low back pain. It highlights the importance of effectively treating back pain by stating that the direct healthcare costs of back pain in the United Kingdom have been estimated at 1632m [pounds sterling] ($2448m).

The bulletin states that the most effective treatments for acute low back pain are staying active and continuing with ordinary activity; using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for symptomatic relief; using muscle relaxants (benzodiazepines) for reducing pain.

The report is based on the systematic review of research evidence, produced by the NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York.