Findings contradict doctor’s recommendations: Study shows paracetamol ineffective for back pain. Photo: Dominic O Brien
Paracetemol has been found to be no more effective for back pain than a placebo, a study has found.
The findings contradict the first line recommendation of doctors for managing back pain and the packaging advice of paracetemol manufacturers.
They startled the University of Sydney researchers who undertook the study upon discovering that there had never been a large-scale trial comparing paracetamol to placebo for back pain.
Back-pain treatment guidelines universally recommend paracetemol as an analgesic.