No
one medication works better than any other, and with all medications,
you have to weigh potential side effects. Most guidelines
suggest acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic) as
the first choice. It has a low complication rate and provides reasonable
analgesia.
The next-line medications are the nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and
generic),
naproxen (Aleve and generic), and aspirin.
Long-term use of opioids (codeine, morphine, or oxycodone) is probably
not a good
idea for treating lower-back pain, but the drugs
may be needed for short-term pain relief if other treatments don't
work.
I
have chronic lower-back pain and degenerative changes. When my back
flares up I generally take naproxen, and go either for
massage or chiropractic treatment. I also try to
go to the gym regularly. Studies that have been carried out suggest
that
no one exercise stands out as better than any
other, but the amount of time you spend exercising is probably the most
important
factor, and it's recommended to increase it
gradually and within your level of tolerance. A combination of
cardiovascular
exercise together with strengthening and
mobilization exercises appears to be particularly important. I try to go
to the gym
at least three days a week and do one hour of
cardio work, and alternate 15 minutes of abdominal/trunk exercises with
15 minutes
of weights.
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