Ibuprofen and back pain

The Guardian recently reported ‘Anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (like Ibuprofen) are not much more effective than placebo and patients taking them are 2.5 times more likely to suffer from stomach problems’.  See the link to the article in The Guardian here.

All good points…. but two things need to be looked at here.

1.  There are many different reasons that people suffer with back pain (‘back pain’ is never that simple) and so when every patient comes into see an osteopath here at Back to Back, we take a comprehensive case history and they have a thorough examination.  This gives us a really good idea why they may be suffering.

There ARE inflammatory reasons why we can get back pain.  These people will most likely respond well to anti-inflammatory medication.  The back pain that is not inflammatory may not get the same level of relief.  Also, during an acute episode of back pain, there may well be an inflammatory phase as the body reacts to the injury.  These patients may also get some relief from ibuprofen.  Once back pain becomes CHRONIC or more longer term, often it looses its inflammatory nature and so these drugs will be less useful.

2.   Patients that take these medications for a short time only are less likely to suffer from stomach problems unless they already have a sensitivity to them.  If you take them for extended periods, it is very well documented that anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can irritate your gut and cause other problems.  There are also different types of NSAIDs (varying in strength and mechanism) and some also have gut protecting properties.  So taking care with high doses or for extended periods is important.

Taking any painkiller does not sort out the cause of your back pain.  It is sort of like putting a plaster on it, but is does not sort out why it happened to you in the first place.  Often getting assessed first is a great place to start and work out why it happened.  Get the cause treated and then become empowered to move more efficiently and effectively.

It always depends why things happen…. bodies are super complicated.  There is never a straightforward answer.  If you are told it is straightforward, maybe look deeper.   So as ever….Get good advice from your health professional.

Blog post by James Dodd

Paracetamol for back pain

Do you take paracetamol for your back pain?

Have a look at this link on some of the more recent research about this.

This states…..

‘Paracetamol is ineffective at treating back pain and osteoarthritis despite being a recommended treatment, a group of Australian researchers has warned’.

One of the most important issues to understand here is WHY  you have pain in the first place.  WHAT has put your body  in a position where it feels under threat?  Pain is an OUTPUT from your brain and just by blocking that output you are not fixing WHY you have pain.  Would it not be far better to get the WHY addressed and sorted?

If you can, get properly assessed by a professional who has been fully trained to assess, diagnose and treat you appropriately.  Pain in your back may be due to another part of your body working less effectively and so your back ends up having to work harder.

Call us on 020 8605 2323 if you have any questions.

-James Dodd

ACUPUNCTURE – THE ONLY RECOMMENDED PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT FOR HEADACHE

Suffering with a headache is unnecessary…

“Headache has been underestimated, under-recognised and under-treated throughout the world” WHO

Headache disorders are among the most common disorder of the nervous system. Nearly 50% of us have suffered from a headache in the last year and nearly 10% of those have reported migraine. Up to 4% of the worlds adult population suffer with headaches on 15 or more days a month.

Not only is headache painful, but it is also disabling.

Acupuncture for headaches…

Research has shown that a course of acupuncture can reduce symptoms of headaches by more than 50% and in some people acupuncture has been reported to eliminate their symptoms altogether!!

Following this research the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) passed a Guideline for Headaches, CG15 in September 2012 declaring a course of up to 10 sessions of acupuncture over 5-8 weeks as the ONLY recommended prophylactic treatment that isn’t drugs.

There are many types of headaches, some chronic and some episodic. Like with any other aches and pain the longevity of symptoms can act as a general guide of how many treatments you may need to help with your headache management. The more acute headache sufferer may only need 1-2 treatments, but for the more chronic and long-term sufferers, more treatments will be necessary. What is clear is that acupuncture is very likely to help with fighting your headache.

What to do next?

Start by keeping a headache diary today – record the frequency, duration and severity of the headache. Contact us if you would like a simple spreadsheet to follow.

If you are suffering with headaches, call the clinic to book an appointment in with me.

Anja Davidson
Osteopath M.Ost

Dry Needling and Neck pain

A study (see link) published in 2014  in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy has found patients who received dry needling for their neck pain showed significantly better improvement than the untreated group.  It was a small study, but always a good place to start.  The patients reported 33% less pain immediately after treatment and 66% less pain a week later.

Most of our osteopaths have completed their acupuncture training with the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) and it is a hugely effective method of treatment, especially when used in combination with osteopathy.  We often use this for neck and lower back pain, hip and shoulder pain along with many other injuries.