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Treatment
Review: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants are moderately effective for low back pain

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.11.2.50

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    R Chou

    Dr R Chou, Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center, Portland, OR, USA; chour@ohsu.edu

    QUESTION

    Which medications are effective for low back pain?

    METHODS

    Data sources:

    Medline (to November 2006), Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2006), reference lists, and experts.

    Study selection and assessment:

    English-language systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that were published since 2000 and evaluated medications for acute or chronic low back pain, with or without sciatica, in non-pregnant adults. If no high-quality systematic review was found for a given drug category, primary RCTs were sought. 7 systematic reviews and 24 additional RCTs met the selection criteria.

    Outcomes:

    pain, back-specific function, and work disability.

    MAIN RESULTS

    The table shows a summary of the findings.

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    Medications for low back pain at a median 2 weeks*

    CONCLUSIONS

    Good …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: American Pain Society.