If you are wondering why acetaminophen/paracetamol (most popularly known as Panadol) works for your headache or toothache, but doesn’t work for your back pain, then here’s a study which confirms it.
Most adults would have had at least 3-5 lower back pain episodes, at some point in their lives, and in the past, treatment guidelines around the world have recommended acetaminophen as a first-line treatment.
always stretch after exercising to help avoid back injuries
So now, a study published this month in the Lancet splits 1,643 people with acute low-back pain into three groups, each given two boxes. One group received two boxes of 500-miligram acetaminophen tablets, with instructions to use the second box “as needed’; the second group got a box of acetaminophen and an prn (when needed) box of placebos; and the third group received two boxes of placebos. Researchers told the participants to take six tablets per day from the regular box and up to two from the as-needed box.
Over the course of three months, the researchers found no difference among the three groups! Subjects showed no variation in terms of pain, recovery time, function, disability, symptom change, sleep or quality of life. About 75% of the participants were happy with their results, whether or not they had received the placebos.
So you see, sometimes pain management is all in the head. A good stretch, some rest or even reflexology has worked well for me in the past before.. so remember this the next time you want to reach for your Panadol!
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