Suffering from back pain, you may have scanned the shelves of your local pharmacy or many online medication websites to get the best back pain medications for you. Don’t worry, you are at the right place. We understand that having lower back pain can be very discomforting, debilitating, and painful. So here we are with complete information about back pain medications to help you decide what’s best for you.

There are many different forms and varieties of medications to help relieve back pain. They are more broadly classified into oral and topical categories.

Oral Back Pain Medications

Oral back pain medications are the ones that come in the forms of tablets, oral administration capsules, pills, and liquid formulations. These medications include:

NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are available over-the-counter or by prescription. These medications (NSAIDs) include ibuprofen and naproxen and can help reduce pain, inflammation, and fever. 

Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen (paracetamol or Tylenol) works to block the transmission of pain signals to the brain. The medication (acetaminophen) is available over the counter without any prescription and also in combination with many other pain medications. 

Antidepressants

Several antidepressant medicines, such as amitriptyline and duloxetine, are effective in managing back pain even without the presence of any signs of depression. Antidepressants are a prescription medicine available only on a proper prescription.

Anticonvulsants

Anti-seizure medications or anticonvulsants, such as pregabalin or gabapentin, act by mimicking a neurotransmitter that slows down the brain’s nerve signals that are responsible for causing neuropathic pain.

Muscle relaxants

Muscle relaxants, such as Carisoprodol or cyclobenzaprine, work to relax tense and tight muscles. They are useful to treat pain caused due to musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain. Muscle relaxants are short-term medications available only on prescription.

Opioids

Opioid pain relievers such as Tramadol, hydrocodone, and oxycodone are available only by prescription. They are strong analgesics prescribed generally for acute pain, such as pain after surgery. It may also be useful in treating back pain.

Topical Back Pain Medications

Topical back pain medications include creams, gels, or patches applied to the topical. They are accessible in both over-the-counter and solution qualities. They are useful to diminish confined pain, for example, from a ligament joint or sore muscle. 

Relief from discomfort prescriptions that can are useful topically include: 

Capsaicin

pain from specific conditions, for example, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, can be reduced with capsaicin. Capsaicin is a cream or gel produced using bean stew peppers and conveys a hot sensation to the place you apply it. Capsaicin can undoubtedly be made at home utilizing every regular patching, for example, cayenne powder and coconut oil. 

Counterirritants

Counterirritants (for example, Frosty Hot, Gold Bond) cause a hot or cold inclination welcomed by patchings, for example, menthol, wintergreen, and eucalyptus. A few counterirritants, for example, items that contain menthol, are accessible as topical patches. 

Lidocaine

Lidocaine is a neighborhood sedative cream, gel, or topical patch that causes impermanent deadness, assisting with limiting pain in the region it is applied. It is useful for joint pain and other musculoskeletal conditions. Lidocaine is often helpful with different patches over the counter items. It is accessible as a solution 5% patch (for example, Lidoderm) and over the counter as a 4% patch (for example, Salonpas). 

Effective diclofenac

This is an effective NSAID used to treat indications of joint pain, including pain, irritation, and rigidity. It is accessible as a remedy as it were. 

Trolamine salicylate

This topical pain reliever cream is for joint inflammation pain. Trolamine salicylate (for example, Aspercreme, Myoflex) is synthetically like ibuprofen and has a slight mitigating impact. 

Effective pain relievers should consistently be tried on a small region of the skin, as some can cause a disturbance. A few people may likewise be unfavorably susceptible or have an affectability to the patchings. Topical pain prescriptions are to be applied through the skin into the circulation system, which may bring about possible medication interactions.

FAQs

What is the best painkiller for back pain?

The best painkillers for treating back pain are the ones that may cause the least side effects with the required therapeutic effects. Most effective back pain medications include:

• NSAIDs such as ibuprofen
• Muscle relaxants such as Soma or Carisoprodol
• Opioids such as Tramadol

What is the best prescription medicine for lower back pain?

The best prescription medicine for lower back pain is Tramadol (an opioid), and Soma (a muscle relaxant). If the patient wants to choose a muscle relaxant for the purpose of back pain relief, they can opt to take Soma. The medication is also available under the generic name Carisoprodol. Both its generic and trade name forms are accessible in the dosing strengths of Soma 250mg, Soma 350mg, Carisoprodol 250mg, and Carisoprodol 350mg.

In case the doctor decides that an opioid would be more suitable for the patient for the treatment of their lower back pain, the best opioid medication for this purpose is Tramadol. The medication also comes under the brand or trade name Ultram and Ultram ER. Both its generic and trade name versions are accessible in the dosing strengths of Tramadol 50mg, Tramadol 100mg, and Tramadol 200mg.

What is the fastest way to relieve back pain?

The fastest way to relieve back pain is to take a quick-acting medication to help treat the pain. The patient can also employ some lower back pain relief remedies along with the medicine:

• Exercise to loosen muscle in the back
• Use hot/cold patches
• Stretch 
• Reduce stress
• Get better shoes or slippers
• Get better sleep at night

Is walking good for lower back pain?

Walking can benefit people with ongoing or recurrent episodes of lower back pain. It is a low-impact form of back pain exercise and can help relieve pain in the long run. Also, aerobics exercises can reduce lower back pain, used in conjunction with walking.

Should I stretch with lower back pain?

Lower back pain is a common and even recurrent condition, and people do not have to live with it every day. Stretching may help reduce lower back pain symptoms as it improves hip flexibility, lengthen the back muscles, and improves core stability.

How can you tell if back pain is muscular?

The person might experience two or more of the following symptoms if the lower back pain is muscular:

• The lower back hurts more while moving and less while staying still
• Pain in the lower back radiates down into the buttocks
• Pain typically does not extend to the legs
• Muscle spasms or cramps in the back