This As Good As Painkillers For Low Back Pain
Plus, this medication isn’t addictive, expert says
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2015 — Naproxen — a drug available over-the-counter and by prescription — appears to provide as much relief for low back pain as a narcotic painkiller or a muscle relaxant, a new study suggests.
The study compared the use of prescription-strength naproxen alone to the use of naproxen with the narcotic painkiller oxycodone with acetaminophen , or the muscle relaxant cyclobenzaprine . Patients who took a combination of drugs fared no better than when they took naproxen alone, the researchers said.
“Acute low back pain is a frustrating condition,” said lead researcher Dr. Benjamin Friedman, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
Many patients have already taken over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as naproxen or ibuprofen , before they arrive in the emergency room, he said. Some people may have taken insufficient doses at incorrect intervals and could be advised to optimize their NSAID regimen, he said.
“But for those patients who have already optimized their NSAID regimen, there are no additional medical therapies available,” Friedman said.
“We don’t have good medical treatment for acute low back pain,” he added.
The report was published Oct. 20 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
“Most back pain gets better on its own without anything,” Danesh said.
What Is The Most Important Information I Should Know About Aleve Back And Muscle Pain
Naproxen can increase your risk of fatal heart attack or stroke, even if you don’t have any risk factors. Do not use this medicine just before or after heart bypass surgery .
Naproxen may also cause stomach or intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. These conditions can occur without warning while you are using naproxen, especially in older adults.
You should not use naproxen if you are allergic to it, or if you have ever had an asthma attack or severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or an NSAID.
Ask a doctor before giving naproxen to a child younger than 12 years old.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if this medicine is safe to use if you have:
- heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you smoke
- a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot
- stomach ulcers or bleeding
What Drugs And Food Should I Avoid While Taking Aleve Back And Muscle Pain
Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of stomach bleeding.
Avoid taking aspirin unless your doctor tells you to.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using other medicines for pain, fever, swelling, or cold/flu symptoms. They may contain ingredients similar to naproxen .
Ask your doctor before using an antacid, and use only the type your doctor recommends. Some antacids can make it harder for your body to absorb naproxen.
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In 10 People Will Experience Back Pain At Some Point
WHAT’S BEHIND IT?
There are a number of different things that can cause back pain. Some of the most common causes are:
- Strained back muscles or ligaments
- Bulging or ruptured discs
- Severe scoliosis
- Osteoporosis
Each of these conditions are known to cause pain. See your doctor to get a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan just right for you.
Aleve is indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
When it comes to back pain relief, there’s good news some back pain can be treated without surgery. However, what works for one person might not work or be right for another. So, it’s important to get a diagnosis from your doctor and discuss your treatment options. In the meantime, here are a few things that can provide back pain relief:
Rest
We know it can be challenging for go-getters to sit around and do nothing, but bed rest for a day or two at most can be an effective method for relieving back pain.
Exercises and stretches
Proper exercises to strengthen the muscles around the area in pain, and stretching to keep the tendons flexible, can provide relief. Each person’s condition is unique. Please consult with your doctor first to set up a treatment plan and before you begin any exercises.
Medication
Prescription and over-the-counter medications, like Aleve, can help ease back pain when used as directed. Just make sure you always check with your doctor before taking any medication.
TIPS YOU CAN USE RIGHT NOW
Understand Your Back Pain
Whether back pain comes as a surprise or begins to occur on a regular basis, it can feel as though your life is being put on hold. The more you learn about back pain, the better you can manage it on your terms.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, SOME BACK PAIN IS EASILY TREATABLE LET YOUR DOCTOR EVALUATE YOURS.
THE BASICS OF BACK PAIN
If you suffer from back pain, you’re far from alone – about 8 in 10 people will experience back pain at some point. In fact, in the United States, back pain is the number one cause of disability in men over age 45, and it’s the second most common reason people visit the doctor.
You can experience pain in the upper or lower back, the left or right side it can even radiate from one spot to another area of the back or body. Back pain is either acute or chronic . Acute back pain is more common and can be caused by some type of accident, like a fall or sports injury.
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Are There Any Other Precautions Or Warnings For This Medication
Before you begin taking a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication.
How To Use Ibuprofen Gel Mousse Or Spray
The amount of ibuprofen you put on your skin depends on the product youre using â check the package leaflet carefully for how much to use.
Gently massage the ibuprofen into the painful area 3 or 4 times a day. Leave at least 4 hours between applications, and do not put it on more than 4 times in 24 hours.
Never use ibuprofen gel, mousse or spray on your eyes, mouth, lips, nose or genital area. Do not put it on sore or broken skin. Do not put plasters or dressings over skin youve applied ibuprofen to.
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> > > 1 Unlikely Stretch Wipes Out Sciatica
Surgical interventions to correct spinal deformity include spinal fusion, which is a surgical procedure that uses bone graft to replace a disc. After undergoing surgery, your back will require physical therapy for three to six months. In addition to doctors and dentists, you can also see neurologists, physiatrists, and chiropractors. These specialists specialize in the brain and spinal cord disorders. They are often the best choice for patients seeking treatment for back pain.
Non-specific back pain is usually not diagnosed until the pain is long-term. There is no clear cause for non-specific back pain, but doctors should seek a diagnosis to treat the condition. It is important to visit a specialist for treatment in order to get the best treatment options. If the pain is chronic or has no specific cause, a doctor will perform diagnostic imaging to help identify the exact source of the pain. Further, they can perform MRIs to help diagnose underlying conditions.
While back pain is a common ailment, it can also be caused by something else. Many people experience sciatica or other pain in the leg, and a slipped disc could be the cause. Other types of back pain may be more acute, such as a herniated disc. For nonspecific back pain, a doctor may need to perform radiological imaging to diagnose the exact cause of the pain.
How Can I Get Relief From Knee Pain
Exercises and stretching- Consult with your doctor to set up a treatment plan.
Medication- Prescription and over-the-counter medications, like ALEVE, can help relieve knee pain when used as directed. Just make sure you always check with your doctor before taking any medication.
Ice and compression- Compressing the area with bandages, in addition to applying ice 3-4 times a day for 10 minutes at a time, can keep swelling to a minimum.
Injections- These may include steroids for possible long-term pain relief, fluids that mimic the natural fluid that lubricates joints, and platelet-rich plasma to reduce inflammation and encourage healing.
Surgery– In some cases, surgery may be the best option, but itâs usually only considered after trying a variety of other things first. Only your doctor can make that determination.
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Video: Back Pain Treatment Options
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . You will see more improvement of your symptoms after 1 week of taking NSAIDS than taking nothing. Motrin/Advil or Aleve , all available without a prescription, are all good options for you. Ibuprofen can be taken 400 600 mg at a time, 4 times a day, and naproxen can be taken 220 mg twice daily for improvement of back pain. In studies, NSAIDS provide more relief of back pain than Tylenol . Try it as a first line choice.
Acetaminophen at higher doses, 1000 mg taken 4 times a day, does help modestly with back pain. Tylenol is better tolerated than NSAIDS, causing less stomach discomfort. This is your second choice after NSAIDS for the treatment of acute back pain. The usual warning here is not to take it for longer than 10 days at those doses.
What about both together? Studies suggests that there is little, if any, benefit of adding NSAID therapy to high-dose acetaminophen.
What about herbal options? Herbal non-steroidals may be effective. Willow bark extract works as an anti-inflammatory and may help for back pain. The bark of white willow contains salicin, which is similar to aspirin. In one study, the relief provided by willow bark was equivalent to the prescription COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib .
What worked for you?
Dr O.
Try Conservative Measures First To Control Pain And Know The Limits And Risks Of Cortisone Shots If You Choose To Try It
Most people who suffer with back pain already know the drill: time heals this wound. Over weeks to months, the pain will calm down, and you will slowly return to your normal life. In the meantime, try to stay as active as possible and rely as much as possible on over-the-counter pain relievers to help avoid needing cortisone shots. Doctors call these shots corticosteroid injections.
But for some, these conservative measures may not relieve the agony soon enoughespecially if the problem is back pain caused by irritated spinal nerves. After a few weeks, just getting to the bathroom may start to feel like Napoleonâs winter march in Russia. At that point, you may be offered a cortisone injection to calm the war zone in your lower back.
Even for nerve-related back pain, guidelines discourage hasty intervention with cortisone shots. âYou would do less invasive, less aggressive things first,â says Dr. Robert Shmerling, Corresponding Faculty, Harvard Medical School.
However, if you choose to take a cortisone shot, know its limits. âThe shots are almost always a temporary measure,â Dr. Shmerling says. âIn general, itâs for symptom control, and not a definitive treatment for most conditions
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When To Switch From Ice To Heat For Back Pain
Even though the warmth feels good because it helps cover up the pain and it does help relax the muscles, the heat actually inflames the inflammatory processes, she says. After 48 hours, you can switch to heat if you prefer. Whether you use heat or ice take it off after about 20 minutes to give your skin a rest.
Home Remedies: Treatments And Therapies For Back Pain
Most acute back pain gets better with a few weeks of home treatment. However, everyone is different, and back pain is a complex condition. For many, the pain doesn’t go away for a long period, but only a few have persistent, severe pain.
For acute back pain, over-the-counter pain relievers and the periodic use of heat might be all you need. But bed rest is not recommended. Keep moving. Continue your activities as much as you can tolerate. Certainly stop activity that increases pain, but don’t avoid activity out of fear of pain. If home treatments aren’t working after several weeks, your health care provider might suggest stronger medications or other treatments and therapies.
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What Is The Best Over
These are the medications that you can find while perusing the aisles at your local pharmacy or convenience store. Most of them are household names, and its not uncommon to keep them on hand, stashed in a medicine cabinet, just in case. Even though OTC medications are easy to obtain, theyll do the job for many aches and pains, and doctors often recommend them prior to prescribing stronger treatment options.
OTC NSAIDs, like ibuprofen and naproxen, are a good first-line agent to decrease inflammation surrounding an injury, recommends Joanna Lewis, Pharm.D., creator of The Pharmacists Guide. They might not have the same potency of high-grade muscle relaxants, but theyre still effective and have very few side effects. If you roll your ankle at the gym or wake up with back pain, try one of these before asking your doctor for a prescription.
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Age Gender And Race Differences
There is not enough relevant evidence from the available studies to determine whether the muscle relaxants have different efficacy or safety profiles in younger or older people, different races, or men and women.
Older people should not take these drugs because they are associated with a higher risk of fractures due to falls. The high risk of falls are likely due to the sedating effects of muscle relaxants and their effect of lowering blood pressure.
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Who Needs A Muscle Relaxant
If you have a headache, backache, neck pain, or other conditions that are from having a muscle spasm, first try other therapies that dont involve medications, such as a heating pad, exercise, biofeedback, or progressive relaxation, massage, or yoga.
If those dont help, try over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen , ibuprofen , or naproxen . Studies that compared those OTC pain relievers with muscle relaxants mostly found little difference in how well they improved pain or functionbut the muscle relaxants were associated with much more sedation.
Taking an OTC pain reliever along with a muscle relaxant has not been shown to work any better than an OTC pain reliever alone for providing relief from a backache or other conditions that are due to spasms.
Which over-the-counter pain reliever is right for you? What to take when.
In some situations, muscle relaxants can be a preferred option for a short period. For example, some people may not be able to take acetaminophen if they have certain conditions, such as liver disease. And those with a history of bleeding ulcers, heart problems, or kidney problems may not be able to take ibuprofen or naproxen. Others may find that their muscle spasms make it difficult to sleep, so the sedation associated with the muscle relaxants could be viewed as a desirable side effect in this case.
How Does This Medication Work What Will It Do For Me
Naproxen sodium belongs to a group of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . It is used to treat fever and pain caused by inflammation, including pain due to arthritis, muscle aches, sprains, strains, backache, headache, migraine, minor aches, menstrual cramps, minor surgery, toothache, dental extractions, and the common cold. It can also be used to reduce fever.
Naproxen sodium works at the site of pain and in the central nervous system . It is believed to work by stopping the production of prostaglandins, which cause inflammation.
This medication may be available under multiple brand names and/or in several different forms. Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here.
Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles.
Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor or pharmacist has not recommended it.
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Aleve Review The Conclusion
So if you have suffered from those given diseases you can take the proper dosage and expect for the best and fastest result. However, like most medicines available today, it also entails side effects that could be dangerous to your health especially if you have a present medical condition like ulcers and acid reflux. It is still best for you to consult your doctor before taking a dose of this product. This is the wisest thing to do especially if you are not sure about what kind of medicine to take.
*All individuals are unique. Your results can and will vary.
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