the best lower back pain medicine?

Question

I constantly awake with lower back pain due to a car accident earlier this year.
I don't want to take prescription pain pills all the time,as they are addictive.The doctor will give me vicodin's and flexerall's,but I have 2 girls and I can't be drugged all day.
does anyone know of an over the counter back pain medicine that is strong but will not male me sleepy?

Answer 1

Hi Crystal. I suffer from lower back pain often and I have found that the Icy Hot pain patches work wonders at night. Just put one on right before you crawl into bed. I also use some of the new arthritis medicines. I believe Advil and Tylenol both make pain reliever specifically for arthritis sufferers (and even though your pain my not be "arthritic", it still seems to work really well on back pain). Hope it helps.

Answer 2

Hi Crystal, there are a lot of good answers here, but I have a suggestion. It might be in your best interest to see a chiropractor, and here's why. Chiropractic is founded in the belief that the Central Nervous System (brain, spinal cord, and nerves) controls EVERY function of our bodies, and when the vertebrae are misaligned (aka subluxated), they can easily pinch the nerves that run out between them. A pinched nerve cannot properly send signals throughout the body, and this may cause pain, numbness/tingling, or any type of negative malfunction in that nerve's corresponding body part.

Since your pain started with a car accident, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that the accident could have done something to your spine, like given you a herniated disk or vertebral fracture (though I doubt the latter). So you should get an X-ray, or even better an MRI. You can have a medical doctor rule out anything serious, but if your MD can only prescribe medication or suggests surgery for a herniated disk, try a chiropractor first. Chiropractic is a safe, non-invasive way to correct spinal misalignment without the use of drugs. Drugs only mask the symptom (i.e. pain) but do nothing to correct the problem.

No matter what you decide to do, I sincerely wish you the best of luck and hope you get better!

Answer 3

I believe your body can get physically addicted to it. But, I suffer from the same problem. I have chronic lower back pain and I am only 27 years old and have been having it since I was about 19. They can't really find anything wrong, except for a little curviture of the spine and my lower spine doesn't curve right. But doctors won't give me any pain medicine and at the current rate have to take mega doses of tylenol and ibuprofen which will probably someday ruin my liver. So, if you are getting relief from the pain medicine, I would continue until they can find something that is causing the pain.

Answer 4

If you haven't had any recent x-rays or MRI done on your back, see if your doctor will order them for you just to make sure that there is nothing else going on. You can try Aleve, it's over the counter. Also try drinking water throughout the day - it keeps your joints, etc. lubricated which may in turn, reduce some of your pain. You may be able to benefit from some type of physical therapy - check with your doctor. If all else fails, see if your doctor will prescribed Neurontin for your back. It is a prescription drug; however, it is not as addictive as some other prescription pain relievers, and will not make you feel like you are "drugged." It works quite well. My husband has had two back surgeries and has tried almost everything from physical therapy, steroid injections in his spine, to all different kinds of pain medications. Vicodin and Flexeral worked okay for him for a while, but what has benefited him the most has been the physical therapy his neurosurgeon prescribed for him and taking Neurontin. Also, I often wake up with pain in my lower back. I take one Neurontin, and within 30 minutes, my back pain is gone.

Answer 5

Over the counter meds are not the answer. I had hip and lower back pain we bought a therma pedic mattress and I have not had any pain since then. Also, stretching up and out when you get up may help. They also have these ice/hot packs that are good for 8 hours and the fit like a belt on the affected areas my husband uses them for his elbow and shoulder when he works and he has no pain. I would give those a chance before I would do over the counter medications.

Answer 6

Naproxen (Alleve) is what works best for me. They work for 24 hours on the label, but i take every 12 for really bad back pain. Nothing else seems to work and i don't get the narcotic side-effects. It takes about 30-45 min. to get relief after you take them, but oh, you'll feel so much better for the whole day. With Tylenol or Advil, you have to keep popping pills. Alleve is more expensive, but well worth it.

Caution, though: it does cause upset stomach.

Chiropractors are also wonderful, as are physical therapists.
And do NOT buy a memory-foam mattress - makes back pain worse.

Answer 7

Try changing your sleep position. You may find that sleeping on your back with a pillow under you knees takes off much of the pressure in your lower back area. Medication only takes the pain away temporarily, and in many cases, people end up hurting themselves more while on it because they can't feel the pain. Ask someone who is familiar with Anatomy to show you how to stretch out your Hip flexors (iliopsoas) effectively. This will take the pressure off and you will be on your way on the road to recovery.

Answer 8

If back pain does not fade away by itself after some time, zou should trust the doctos and do all the necessary diagnostics. If there is nothing serious, the only things that helps now and for the future is daily gym! In the acute phase acupuncture can be helpful . drugs do not solve the problem, just relief some pain in the beginning, they have no therapeutic value.!.

Answer 9

There is a product called therma band. You take it out the package and it heats up. I literally ripped my lower back muscles lifting a 50 inch TV. I could not walk for three days so much paim. It was not until I got the thermaband and wrapped around my waste and wore that that my back got better. Plus each band lasts for up to 8 hours of heat.

I dont like medicne and avoid it where ever possible.

Answer 10

I was having horrible back spasms. I was on pain pills but I didn't like the way they make me feel in my daily life. My doctor told me about "Salon Pas" available at WalGreens. They are little business card sized patches. Oh my! THey work. I have been in the store before, had a back spasm and backache that I thought was going to leave me on the ground. I shuffled over to the Salon Pas and bought a package and stuck one on and was able to complete my shopping.

They come in like 40 to a pack, I believe.

Soma is good for back pain. But again, that will make you drugged.