pain relief meds for back pain

Back pain—and the medications that treat it—is almost as varied as the people who have it. For some people, the pain is minor, and over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief tablets for back pain work just fine. For others, managing pain requires prescription pain relief for back pain from a doctor.

So what do you do? You call the pros. Working with your doctor or medical professionals who specialize in pain management can help you find the right meds and give advice about helpful home remedies and light exercises that you can do at home that can relieve pain as well.

 

What Medications Can I Use for Back Pain?

First thing’s first: Medication isn’t remotely the only treatment for back pain. In fact, most cases of back pain resolve (go away) by themselves in a matter of weeks. But for those cases that don’t, there’s a wealth of options both surgical and nonsurgical. Exercise and physical therapy, epidural steroid injections, decompression surgeries, home remedies and, yes, medications: All are potentially on the table, depending on what’s causing your back pain.

When it comes to back pain medication, there are three classes of medications to treat back pain.

 

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

NSAIDs, are often the first line of defense for treating pack pain. NSAIDs pain killer tablets for back pain are available OTC and in prescription doses, which contain higher levels of the chemicals used to fight pain.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are alternatives to acetaminophen that you can buy without a prescription. They help fight swelling and fever and are common in treating joint pain.

There are many pain medications that include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories— the most commonly used and best anti-inflammatory medicine for back pain are Aleve, Aspirin, Motrin, and Ibuprofen.

 

Muscle Relaxants

And then there are your prescription muscle relaxant medications (antispasmodic), pain relief meds for back pain that specifically treat muscle spasms that often accompany back and spine injuries.

In some cases, your doctor might prescribe these for your back pain. Some of the most commonly used muscle relaxants are Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), Metaxalone (Skelaxin), and Tizanidine (Zanaflex). These drugs work by helping to ease spasms in the muscles.

 

Opioids

Then there are other strong painkillers for lower back pain, medications that are narcotic medications such as Norco or Tylenol Number Three with codeine.

Opiods are a class of medication that work to block pain signals in the brain. Common prescription opioids include oxycodone (Oxycontin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin). These drugs are highly addictive because they release endorphins, neurotransmitters in the brain that make you feel good. But opioids are also highly effective pain killers, especially post-surgery. Opioids should only be used for short periods and only as directed by your doctor.

 

Pearl Chemist Group is well equipped to help you treat your back pain. Our clinicians are always available to answer questions and offer recommendations for medications to treat your ba pain. Visit any of our South London pharmacies

We carry the best pain relief medications for back pain in the UK. Buy online or at any of our South London branches.