OTC Back Pain Medicines

The first step to treating back pain--either from overuse or an injury--often includes at-home remedies. Simple OTC (over-the-counter) solutions work differently to relieve pain and prevent the need for prescription treatment.

Pain Pills

• Oral medications like acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen reduce pain by decreasing swelling and by blocking chemicals that create and send pain signals to the brain.

Topicals

• Creams and patches provide medicine directly to the painful area through the skin. Common ingredients are menthol, capsaicin and salicylates. Topical agents have to be reapplied frequently and may irritate the skin.

Alternative Remedies

• According to the May 2009 NIH Complementary and Alternative Medicine Focus on Research and Care newsletter, lower back pain will occur in 80 percent of adults in the United States. Basic manipulation, electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture/acupressure can supplement traditional OTC medications to relieve muscle or nerve sources of pain.

Timeline

• According to Back.com, acute back pain, as from injury or misuse, can last up to six weeks, whereas chronic back pain continues for longer than three months. Prescription treatments should be considered for such long-term pain.

Warning

• Side effects and overdose are possible with any medicines, and alternative therapies are not always supported by scientific research. Talk with a health professional about concerns while on any treatment, even non-prescription medication.