Back pain is a problem for many people in the modern world. There are many reasons. Among them is a sedentary lifestyle, leading to osteochondrosis. And, conversely, too high loads, leading to cramps and muscle pain. Don't forget about injuries. Therefore, choosing the best remedy for back pain is more relevant than ever.
The best affinity the doctor can prescribe. It is he who will be able to deal with the causes of back pain and prescribe the appropriate treatment. After all, it is no secret to anyone that most pain relievers do not have a therapeutic effect on the body. They are unable to eliminate an intervertebral hernia, correct posture or cope with the consequences of osteochondrosis. The exceptions are anti-inflammatory drugs that penetrate into the foci and relieve tissue inflammation.
Regardless of the reasons for its occurrence, back pain is a lot of inconvenience and significantly affects comfort and living standards. It interferes with active rest, communication with friends and family. With severe back pain, a simple visit to the doctor is often difficult. Let's try to figure out what criteria should be used to choose the best remedy to alleviate the condition.
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Causes of back pain and their treatment
The choice of pain reliever depends on the underlying causes of back pain. It is worth noting the most common, so as not to make the mistake of choosing a drug on the advice of friends or advertising.
- Diseases of the spine and ligaments. Most often this is a lesion of the intervertebral discs, joints or ligaments. It often manifests itself in old age. Bone tissue becomes thinner, and the vertebrae become more mobile, irritate pain receptors. To relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for external use are suitable.
- Lesions of the muscles of the back. Pain is associated with both prolonged exposure to one position and a disease of the spine. The first case is familiar to many. A long trip in a car, a flight on an airplane or intensive work at computers - and already at the straightened out. In the second case, everything is much more complicated. In order to prevent the painful effect during movement, the person maximally strains the muscles of the "back brace", as if fixing the spinal column. In this case, pinched nerve endings cause discomfort in the back muscles. The range of treatment is quite wide: from mild pain relievers with a warming or cooling effect to hormonal drugs, in the general treatment of the spine.
- Spinal cord pathologies, most often caused by intervertebral hernias, narrowing of the spinal canals or bone growth. Since the discomfort in such diseases is long-term, it is important to find an effective remedy for back and lower back pain. You may have to try more than one drug that differs in the method of exposure and functionality.
On the advice of specialists, you should not run to the pharmacy if you experience sharp stabbing pain in the back or lower back.Especially if they are associated with weakness, dizziness or lack of air.
Back pain can manifest itself in such dangerous diseases as heart attack, angina pectoris, renal failure. There is no need to delay a visit to the doctor and with lingering pains that respond poorly to non-prescription non-steroidal drugs, so as not to miss the onset of dangerous diseases.
The main types of drugs for back pain
Currently, pharmacy shelves are filled with bright boxes with ointments and gels for back and lower back pain. Every half hour, commercials are shown on TV screens, the main motive of which is - he took a pill or smeared his back and is completely healthy. It is very easy to get lost. So what are the means, how fast they are. And how to choose a medicine for pain. By Rating, Best Manufacturer, Reviews, or Average Price.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs include drugs for external use. In their composition, they contain either pure analgesics, for example, ketoprofen, nimesulide, diclofenac or ibuprofen. It can also contain various essential oils that have a relaxing, cooling or warming effect.
They are used to alleviate the condition with osteochondrosis, lumbago, injuries. And also with hypothermia.
Fastum Gel
One of the most popular drugs at present, the main active ingredient is ketoprofen. They are used to relieve pain in osteochondrosis and spondylosis, as well as in joint pain and conditions after minor injuries.
Advantages:
- Quick relief of pain effect within 15-20 minutes;
- Has accumulative properties and after 10-15 days begins to have an anti-inflammatory effect;
- Available in gel form. It is quickly applied and does not stain clothes;
- When applied externally, it does not adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys.
Disadvantages:
- Contraindications: allergies, eczema, dermatitis;
- Cannot be classified as budget medicines. The cost of a package weighing 50 grams ranges from 310 to 330 rubles.
According to patient reviews, it is better to use drugs from Berlin-Chemie / A. Menarini. However, today analogues are produced in Italy. There is also a domestic drug - Bystrum Gel, which is somewhat cheaper.
Diclofenac
Our grandmothers were treated with this. Powerful pain reliever and anti-inflammatory agent. Unfortunately, it has a wide range of contraindications and side effects. When taken internally and for prolonged external use, the stomach, liver and kidneys may suffer. It should be used with caution by people with cardiovascular diseases, as well as the elderly.
Advantages:
- In fact, an instant analgesic effect that lasts for a long time;
- Has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect;
- It is produced in various forms: ointments, gels, tablets, suspensions, solutions for injections;
- Depending on the type and manufacturer, you can pick up drugs at a price of 40 to 100 rubles.
Disadvantages:
- Many contraindications and side effects;
- Bad fame that has been attached to the drug since the days of the Soviet Union.
Currently, few people purchase Diclofenac in connection with non-forest reviews. Nevertheless, they prefer to be treated with the popular Voltaren patches, the main active ingredient is also diclofenac, which is not paid attention to.
Nise gel
Another drug of the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which includes nimesulide, as a therapeutic agent, and menthol, as an auxiliary. With its relaxing and cooling effect, it works especially well for muscle pain.
Advantages:
- Acting on the nerve endings, it perfectly relieves spasm, and also effectively reduces pain at the site of application, until they disappear completely;
- Has anti-inflammatory effect;
- It has proven itself well in the treatment of bruises.
Disadvantages:
- these include cost. The packaging will cost about 350 rubles.
The market is widely represented by drugs containing nimesulide, other forms of release. Among them are tablets and powders for preparing a suspension. The tablets have more pronounced side effects, but at a price they will cost several times cheaper. The fastest are suspensions, but they are much more expensive. The cost of thirty Nimesil powders varies between 750-800 rubles.
Most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are available from pharmacies, where they can be purchased without a doctor's prescription.
Combined remedies for back pain
These drugs include drugs containing two or more active ingredients. One of them acts directly on the nerve endings and gives an analgesic effect. The second, penetrating into tissue cells, relieves the inflammatory process. The third relieves muscle spasm and tightness. Similar characteristics of the drug show themselves well in the treatment of post-traumatic pain, as well as additional therapy in the treatment of osteochondrosis and neuralgia of various origins.
Dolobene
A prominent representative of combined drugs and one of the best in its group, according to buyers, not only for short-term relief, but for prolonged exposure. For external use:
- dimethyl sulfoxide penetrates into the skin and muscle tissue, not only relieves pain, but also helps the rest of the drugs to penetrate as deeply as possible;
- heparin has anti-inflammatory effects;
- dexpanthenol, by converting to pantothenic acid, helps to restore damaged muscle tissue.
According to the recommendations of doctors, Dolobene is actively used in therapy not only as an analgesic, but also as a drug.
Advantages:
- Quickly relieves painful sensations;
- Not only relieves symptoms, but also has a healing effect;
- can be used in carrying out physiotherapy.
Disadvantages:
- Reacts with other drugs, distorting their action;
- Has a wide range of contraindications;
- The drug is contraindicated in severely impaired liver and kidney function.
According to patients' reviews, they consider the product manufactured by Merkle GmbH from Germany to be of the highest quality. It cannot be called democratic in terms of price. The cost of a package of 50 grams reaches 380 rubles. Today, there are domestic analogues on sale: "Giparidex" and "Dolonit-MosFarma", which cost about 200 rubles for a similar package.
Back pain relievers with local irritant pain relief
One of the main goals of external drugs is to carry drug molecules to nerve endings and foci of inflammation. One of the options for solving the problem is the use of substances that increase blood flow. They have an irritating and warming effect, as well as a pronounced distracting effect. Such ointments and gels are indispensable for the treatment of neuralgia, myopathy, radiculitis and lumbago.
Capsicam
One of the long-used remedies that have proven themselves well among people suffering from muscle and joint pain. The irritating and warming effects are achieved by introducing camphor and turpentine into the ointment. They also help dimethyl sulfoxide molecules to penetrate into muscle tissue.
Advantages:
- The action of the drug begins within half an hour and lasts up to 6-8 hours. With repeated use, its duration increases to several days;
- It warms up and relaxes muscles well;
- Blocks pain receptors at the level of the cerebral cortex;
Disadvantages:
- There is a high probability of overdose and skin burns;
- You can not use "Kapsikam" for people with increased skin sensitivity;
- The term of application is limited to 10 days.
Capsicam now has competitors with less pronounced irritation.
Finalgon
Its medicinal properties are provided by two substances: nonivamide and nicoboxil. They complement each other perfectly and stimulate blood flow to the affected area. However, they have a more gentle effect on the skin than Kapsikam.
Advantages:
- Fast, literally within 20 minutes, effect;
- Prolonged action of the drug up to 12 hours.
Disadvantages:
- The drug should not be applied to damaged skin;
- The possibility of an allergic reaction;
- Cost. Finalgon costs exactly twice as much. 50 grams of ointment or gel will cost 350-380 rubles.
Any ointments or gels should be applied with extreme precautions.
- They are applied with a special applicator;
- They try to prevent the drug from getting into the eyes or mucous membranes;
- After application, wash your hands with cool water.
Medicines containing chondroprotectors
A fairly new pharmaceutical group. Differs in the content of chondroitin sulfate along with analgesics. The latter has the ability to restore the destroyed cartilage tissue. One of the medicines that can solve the problem of back pain in a complex. All drugs in this group are divided into two components. Tablets and injections aimed at restoring cartilaginous tissue in osteochondrosis, osteoporosis, arthritis and arthrosis. And ointments or gels of combined action. Recently, drugs with anesthetic effect have been increasingly coming to the shelves.
Don
Medicine in the form of tablets or powders for suspension.
Advantages:
- Has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties;
- Restores damaged cartilage tissue.
Disadvantages:
- High price. A package of 60 tablets will cost 1400-1500 rubles.
Teraflex
It helps to forget about back problems for a long time. Contains glucosamine, which acts as a replacement therapy, and ibuprofen, which acts as a pain reliever.
Advantages:
- After a course of medication, you can forget about problems for a long time;
- It is available in the form of capsules and ointment, which, if necessary, will bring relief.
Disadvantages:
- You need to take long courses.
So which medicine should you choose?
To quickly and immediately get rid of back pain, you should choose the one that the doctor prescribes. Or use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. All other medications require a more thorough examination. All of the above can be systematized somewhat.
Choosing over-the-counter drugs
OTC drugs include most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs with a combined and irritating effect.
- Dolobene, which effectively copes with pain using three components;
- Finalgon will also provide quick help, but may cause some discomfort;
- Nise-Gel, acts as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent;
- Fastum Gel, the use is only anesthetic.
Choosing effective drugs
The most effective drugs for back pain and lower back pain will be drugs that act not only as a pain reliever, but also have a therapeutic effect.
- Don, in case the pain is caused by cartilage;
- Dolobene, which has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects;
- Finalgon, if the cause of the pain lies in the muscles;
- Nise-Gel, if necessary, long-term anti-inflammatory therapy;
- Fastum Gel, for injuries or short-term pain.
They don't joke with back pain and lower back pain. Sometimes patients, having tried ointments and gels, turn to doctors for advice. And they learn that the discomfort has absolutely nothing to do with the spine or back muscles. And it's good if there is an elementary gastritis behind them. Be vigilant about your health and choose the remedy for back pain that is right for you!
