Maybe this link to NYT will work:

Common Medications Can Prolong Back Pain, Study Says - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Interesting article. I guess the body knows what it's doing if inflammation has a purpose like some say a fever does. Sometimes acetominophen (sp) helps, sometimes not.

Thanks, Chisue.

chisue - I was just reading your comment on the gel cap thread about non-narcotics not working for you. I think I'm the same. I've never been convinced of OTC pain meds doing much more than a placebo would. And while we're at it, I've never gotten relief from THC, either. Just high, which is nice but not always the point.

Socks -- Thanks for the link. Can you see the Talbots September catalog online? Cover has two darling Westies -- as we say at our house 'The Dog of Choice". How's your boy?

Interesting piece. Tylenol is useless to me for any pain, but knee pain is helped by Advil.

I have been told alternating Tylenol and Advil is supposed to be more effective for pain control. May be worth checking out further.

From Good Rx:

I get this question a lot: Is it safe to take acetaminophen with ibuprofen?

The simple answer? Yes, you can safely take acetaminophen and ibuprofen together.

This may surprise you, though: Taking these two medications together works better to relieve pain than taking them separately. Research studies have shown that ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) together work well to relieve certain types of pain with few side effects. In fact, even for extreme dental pain, these medications combined work better than many opioid pain medications (like Vicodin or Norco).

https://www.goodrx.com/classes/nsaids/is-it-safe-to-take-tylenol-acetaminophen-with-advil-or-motrin-ibuprofen

This is good news for me because Vicodin and I are not friends.

For a rare (for me) dental procedure that involved 36 hours of lingering pain, my relative (dentist) told me to get the "every 4 hours" size of Advil and Tylenol and shuffle use instead of taking an opioid. Take one of them, then in two hours the other, then in two hours back to the first, etc. It worked very well. For someone my size (normal adult male), he also described taking 2 Advil as being a "subclinical dose" for acute pain, not enough. For very occasional acute pain incidents and for a day or two, not more. I find taking 3 works much better. Always taken with food.

I take one 200mg Motrin and 1 500mg Tylenol both morning and night. One is good for inflammation and one for pain. Works for me. Doctor approved.

Both my GP and my dentist have told me to alternate Tylenol and advil for effective short term pain relief. The only real cure for back pain for me, though, is exercise to strengthen the core. In other words, no quick fixes, just on-going work on the problem. Regular hydrotherapy in a warm pool is my go-to treatment these days for all sorts of arthritis-related issues, back pain among them.

Elmer, my internist told me that if all you are taking is two ibuprofen, just rub them on your skin it will do as much good.

i can't take [but i like] advil; it's rough on the kidneys. I take tylenol and tramadol, along with a muscle relaxer.

zalco, I like that. I had a similar (humor wise) but different experience. When I was first prescribed Neurontin to quiet the Restless Leg issue that woke me during the night, I asked the sleep doc (at the Med School near you) if there were any risks of taking it. She responded "Most people tolerate it well with no side effects. The biggest risk you could face is the potential of death due to choking, the capsules are large."

I tried ibuprofen three times, and each time I got chest pains. Not little twinges--scary pains. And naproxen (Alleve) gives me tachycardia.

My take on the study is that many people take pain relieving drugs but skip the therapy and/or exercise to address their condition. So their condition doesn't really improve. Some people find exercise is more effective than pain reducing anti inflammatory medications. If they can power through they may improve without pain management meds.

Me? I take the middle ground, I use pain reducing drugs in order to continue exercise when necessary. Only when necessary. Ibuprofen got me through not missing a day of riding with cracked ribs. It got me through shingles, twice. I am not generally a fan of taking drugs, even OTCs but when it becomes a choice of being able to keep moving or not, I'll take the medication to assist me. My doctor who knows I won't do the take it easy for several weeks thing has given me prescription strength Ibuprofen. If I am feeling achy at the end of the day, I find a single aspirin helps me sleep better by taking the edge off any minor discomforts. Tylenol does nothing for me and I hate taking opiates. Well except to be perfectly honest I used to like smoking Opium way, way back when I was young and felt invincible. ;-)

I've also read that tylenol (acetaminophen) isn't helpful for back pain either. I can't take NSAIDS or aspirin due to my ulcer anyway.

Anyone try CBD oil?

Ive been struggling with lower back pain. I recently had an epidural steroid shot which didnt help much. The only thing that gives me some relief is ibuprofen. However, i am very aware that it is rough on your kidneys and my kidney numbers arent so great now. . Tylenol doesnt do much. It is a pain reliever but not an anti inflammatory. I think I will be having a second steroid injection. Maybe this would eventually resolve itself on its own, but that seems doubtful to me.

I went to PT and continue to do the exercises at home. Itried otc cbd cream which made no difference. I would be interested in trying medical marijuana in a cream or gummy form. I already take Ambien for sleep and that is a huge help.

Good luck to all dealing with chronic pain.

Annie -- CBD cream did zip for my pain from spinal stenosis/scoliosis and the same for DH's sore knees. I get some back pain help from the 4% lidocaine OTC patches -- Salonpas is the best one. I also like the little Salonpas menthol-and-whatever patches for stiff neck. There are Salonpas knock-offs, but I prefer the brand. I order the lidocaine patches from Amazon, 15 at less than $2 per patch.

Chisue, have you had surgery on your back and did that help?

Happen to be sitting next to the Talbots catalog. Cute.

Thanks for posting the photo, dedtired. Socks' dog Oski is a Westie, and my DH and I had four of them -- one at a time!

No, I haven't had back surgery, and my one steroid injection was a disaster. I walked the floor all night for 11 nights. The pain was that bad. Never again. Right now I'm trying to cope with a failing regime for my multiple myeloma -- hope to avoid having to take Revlimid. If I can get that squared away, I want to pursue my PT's suggestion that most of my pain isn't from the back, but from a deteriorating hip replacement. Right hip was never as good as the left surgery.

Yes, I'm really *falling apart*!

Chi, I’m in the midst of crumbling, too. Had my first injection and although I was pretty sore for a few days ( felt like someone had hit my lower back with a baseball bat), it subsided . i am marginally better, but i think another shot is in my future.

I do hope you find a resolution to your problems. I am hoping to get a few more good years before i totally crumble.

I had a fox terrier growing up. Smart and loyal but very feisty.

I took prescription Ibuprofen for 4 years for severe back pain but only took it when I was going out. It rarely worked for me. When I started taking it with Tylenol my back pain was somewhat relieved so I could walk around pushing a grocery cart at a grocery store. When the Doctor told me 5 years later I had broken my back which was causing the pain he told me to stop taking Ibuprofen and put me on prescription extra strength Tylenol without the Codeine 1200 units of calcium a day and that worked so much better for relieving some of the pain. My sister was addicted to opiates for her pain and there is no way I will go that route. I have been trying to get rid of the inflammation in my body so I hope that won't cause me to have worse back pain.

When i had sciatica, nothing worked -physio, chiropractic etc. my doctor told me that to relieve sciatica you have to move and you tend not to with pain. So he told that for 1 week I should take 2 extra strength Tylenol 4 times a day and 2 extra strength Aleve with meals twice a day. it worked!