In addition to having very uncomfortable side effects, medications for pain relief are not convincingly effective. While waiting for research advances, it is important to keep in mind that the solution can also come from adjusting one's lifestyle or from alternative methods.
An Australian scientific study examined the many studies published since 1964 on the efficacy and safety of analgesics in the treatment of acute back pain. The results of this study showed that in addition to numerous side effects, common painkillers such as ibuprofen, paracetamol or codeine generally only relieved 30 to 50% of the pain. Anne Marie Pinard, head of the chronic pain service at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval and a member of the QPRN, says that these results illustrate the observations made in the clinic with patients. She emphasized that medication is not a miracle cure for pain. She also emphasized that pain can also often be managed through alternative methods such as changes in physical activity or diet. She encourages patients to look for alternative approaches but also to maintain healthier habits over the long term.
