Low back pain affects most adults. Unfortunately, there is not a consensus of the best way to achieve pain relief. One approach is to use non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen, which helps reduce lower back pain that does not involve sciatica. NSAIDs are often used because they not only reduce pain symptoms, but also reduce any inflammation that may be the cause of the pain.

Pepijn Roelogs, Department of General Practice, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands, led a research team to compare the effects of NSAIDs with paracetamol–another drug used by people with low back pain with fewer side effects. In general different NSAIDs appear to be equally effective.

Roelogs concluded that acute low back pain sufferers have a choice whether to use a NSAID or paracetamol and needs to be done on individual bases.