Mostly people prefer taking medications instead of
going for some other treatments for alleviating the back pain as the
medications are easy to take. But, it is necessary to take medications
under the supervision of your doctor to avoid any kind of side effects.
Although some over-the-counter medications are also available which help
in relieving pain effectively. Some of the most commonly used
medications include the following:
Acetaminophen: Acetaminophen is an
over-the-counter medication which does not have an anti-inflammatory
effect and relieves pain by working centrally to switch off the
perception of pain. It is very effective as is associated with fewer
side-effects.
Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID's): As most types
of back pain have inflammation as a contributing factor,
anti-inflammation medications like NSAID's are very effective in
treating the same. The three types of most commonly used NSAID's are
ibuprofen, naproxen and COX-2 inhibitors. Other NSAID's are
ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, diclofenac, tolmetin, nabumetone,
dexibuprofen, and indomethacin.
Narcotic pain medications: All narcotic agents have a
dissociative effect that helps patients in managing pain. Commonly
used narcotics are codeine, propoxyphene, hydrocodone, and oxycodone.
Other non-narcotic pain medications: This category includes a
newer type of medication called tramadol or ultram, which acts
centrally to modulate the sensation of pain and has no
anti-inflammatory effect. It is a strong pain reliever than
acetaminophen. These drugs also act centrally and are more of a total
body relaxant. Several types of muscle relaxants are used like
carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine, and diazepam. Muscle relaxants are
usually prescribed on a short term basis for relieving low back pain
associated with muscle spasms.
Oral steroids: Oral steroids, a type of
non-narcotic prescription medications are very effective for treating
back pain. Oral steroids may come in various forms but are usually
ordered as a medrol dose pack in which patient starts with a big dose
for initial low back pain relief, taking lower dose for over 5 or 6
days. They are also used on a short term basis.
Anti-depressants and anti-seizure medications:
Antidepressants like amytriptiline, nortriptiline, imipramine are
useful in treating depression associated with chronic back pain. The
new class of drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is
also effective in treating back pain. Anti-seizure medications are
also called neuroleptic drugs which are prescribed to patients who
have nerve type pain or neuropathy (degeneration of pain).
So people living with back pain can resolve the pain by employing any of
these effective medications and make their life painless and enjoyable.
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