“There were 17 drugs or drug combinations that significantly lessened participants’ pain compared with placebo, with no differences in efficacy between medications, although low- or very low–confidence evidence supported these conclusions. Moderate- or low-confidence evidence suggested that a higher number of adverse events might be linked with some of the drugs, including tramadol and baclofen.

Interventions such as manual therapy and analgesics are among the second-line treatments for lower back pain.”

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“Because high-quality research supporting their usefulness is limited, though, “[c]linicians and patients are advised to take a cautious approach to the use of analgesic medicines” for lower back pain, the researchers wrote in The British Medical Journal.”

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E Harris

Meta-analysis: Analgesics’ Value for Lower Back Pain Uncertain

Journal Of The American Medical Association — Volume 329 #16 — April 25, 2023 — pg 1340