US Pharm. 2014;39(8):53.
Sydney, Australia—According to a new Australian study, acetaminophen does not help relieve lower back pain. Researchers found that the analgesic, also known as paracetamol or Tylenol, was no more effective than placebo for more than 1,600 people suffering from acute lower back pain. The median time to recovery for those taking acetaminophen was 17 days, compared to 16 days for patients in the placebo group. The drug also appeared to have no effect on the patients’ level of pain when compared to placebo. These findings call into question the widespread belief that acetaminophen should be the first-line choice when treating this common form of back pain, although further research is needed.
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