Back pain affects four in five of us at one point during our lives. The first port of call for many is anti-inflammatory drugs to help ease the pain so they can get on with their day to day tasks without the excruciating ache in their back.
However, a new comprehensive study has revealed that anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen have little benefit other than to act as a placebo when treating back pain. In fact, they were found to make users more likely to suffer from stomach problems.
The review, published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, said that back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is commonly managed by prescribing anti-inflammatories. However, the report showed that the drugs offered little, if any, benefit.
The study reviewed more than 6,000 people with back pain and their reaction to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) compared to a placebo. NSAIDs were found to reduce pain and make moving easier, but the difference was not large enough for researchers to name NSAIDs as clinically important.
Finding a solution to your back pain
There are many causes for back pain: aging, a job that requires lifting, genetics, poor posture, smoking and sitting too much are frequent culprits to the condition. With the majority of us spending over 50 per cent of our waking hours at work, back pain as a result of workplace ergonomics is a growing concern: especially with the growing number of desk-based jobs.
Instead of delaying the problem with short term relief with pain killers, the best way to solve the problem is to stop it at its root.
Whether it’s as an individual or a whole company, Positura can provide a musculoskeletal (MSK) health assessment. The assessment can diagnose the problem and potentially marry that up with personalised changes that need to be made to improve MSK health. You can enquire about booking a MSK health assessment here, or for more information call 07794 311 201.
