What medical therapies can be used in the treatment of acute mechanical low back pain?
Medical therapies for pain relief include analgesics such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and muscle relaxants, as well as local application of heat. Data regarding the efficacy of opioid analgesics for acute low back pain is limited. Of note, studies have shown poor tolerance of opioid analgesics among patients with chronic low back pain, with lack of efficacy at commonly recommended doses as well as lack of superiority compared with NSAIDs.
