Paracetamol in back pain without effect

Millions of painkillers are no better than placebo

07/24/2014

For back pain or lumbago, doctors around the world usually prescribe acetaminophen. But now Australian researchers at the University of Sydney have found out that the painkiller in these cases seems to be ineffective - and does not relieve lower back complaints better than placebo tablets.

Paracetamol since 1977 on the „Model List of Essential Medicines“ the WHO
Who goes with a low back pain or a lumbago to the doctor, can expect that this is the analgesic and antipyretic drugs „paracetamol“ prescribes. In addition to drugs that contain acetylsalicylic acid (short: ASA) or ibuprofen, since its introduction in the 1950s to the world's most common painkillers (analgesics) and is since 1977 even on the „Model List of Essential Medicines“ („However, paracetamol also helps with back problems, as Christopher Williams from the University of Sydney's George Institute for Global Health and his colleagues have now found out, not in a large-scale Australian study Instead, the researchers came to the conclusion that low-back pain averages back after 17 days, regardless of whether acetaminophen was used or not.

Taking painkillers has no positive influence on the recovery time
The researchers had studied 1,652 patients aged 45 and over who suffered from low back pain for their project. One third of the subjects with severe symptoms received paracetamol three times a day (total 3990 mg a day) for up to four weeks, whereas another third only used the analgesic in the acute case (a maximum of 4000 mg a day). The third group received only a dummy drug (placebo), which contained no drug and thus could not have a pharmacological effect. The result: "The intake of the drug had no effect on the relief of the symptoms". Instead, in the two groups taking paracetamol, the pain decreased after an average of 17 days and in the placebo group as early as 16 days. „Our results suggest that the regular or on-demand dosage of paracetamol does not affect the recovery time for low back pain compared to placebo“, the researchers in the trade magazine „The Lancet“.

Previous therapy should be questioned
But not only with regard to the end of the pain symptoms showed no differences between the groups, also had the analgesic to the researchers after no positive effect on the quality of sleep and quality of life. Accordingly, it makes sense to question the previous therapy: „Our findings doubt the general recommendation for acetaminophen in patients with low back pain“, so chief author dr. Christopher Williams continues. „As back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, this study demonstrates that an improved focus on the development of new, effective therapies is warranted“, said Professor Christine Lin from the University of Sydney. First, however, must be investigated in further studies, why paracetamol in the case of cross-illnesses remain ineffective - because in other pain conditions, such as headaches, the efficacy of sufficient evidence. (No)