Taking paracetamol and ibuprofen is the best way to relieve the misery of backache, according to new research. The over-the-counter painkiller paracetamol is ineffective on its own against the world's leading cause of disability which affects four-in-five adults.
But it rapidly reduces symptoms when combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen. Lead author Dr Alice Baroncini, of RWTH University Hospital in Aachen, Germany, said: "This is a first step towards the optimisation of the management of acute low back pain.
"However, specific patient characteristics such as having allergies and comorbidities must always be taken into consideration."
