Hello. i have a really painful back at the moment and as i am on pred not sure what i can take for it. in the past i used to take diclofenac i cant even take an anti- inflammatory because of the pred. At the moment i am taking paracetamol plus but that is doing nothing for my pain. What does other people take? for a bad back. Thank you
I just take paracetamol or, if it’s really bad, co-codamol. I also use a herbal heat lotion after showering. Have you had physiotherapy? I find the exercises I was given by the physiotherapist very helpful.
Have you tried capsaicin cream? It is what our local pain clinic recommends:
Careful - wash your hands before touching any other part of your body, especially eyes or mouth!!
My local rheumy (a top world name in PMR) does use NSAIDs alongside pred but insists on you taking a PPI at the same time to protect your stomach.
This could be myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) - causes tight/spasmed muscles, especially in your back - and it is often found in people with PMR. When I was in the UK and had back problems due to MPS I found my Bowen therapist was by far my best friend! And I know several people who say the same - if you can afford a few sessions it really is worth a try.
And nearly forgot to say - a warm, not too hot, hot water bottle or heated pad can help a lot.
Hi jennyrose_7
I use Voltarol for shoulder pain which is very, it does not take away the pain completely but definitely eases it…it also lasts approx 12 hours…
thank you. I am tacking paracetamol plus at the moment and i am still in pain.
thank you. I wonder if you could use gloves when you put this cream on ? as i have a dog and i have to give my dog tablets and i would worry even after washing my hands that there would still be some chilli on my hands.
Probably - I’m sure nurses do.
I found tramadol just about worked.
is tramadol a cream or a tablet ? and do you need a prescription or can i buy it at over the counter . Thank you
thank you
It is a tablet. It is an opiod so quite strong. You definitely need a prescription!
l sympathise, back pain is like a bad tooth ache. l’m on low dose - 10-30mg a day - of amtryptaline for chronic back pain and it works well for me. l take it at bedtime and it also helps me to sleep. Other things l’ve found helpful are some gentle yoga poses and stretching. l do Pilates ton try and strengthen my core as support for my back. Also l try not too sit too long before getting up and moving, and soaking in and Epsom salts bath for minimum of 20minutes.
l hope that you find something that works well for you.
Capsaicin was recommended to me but I had a very bad skin reaction to it. Probably fine if your skin is not too sensitive but to be used with caution.
I certainly went pretty pink when my masseure used it years ago! And it is pretty burny!! But yes, like anything, test on a small area first. But people have reactions to many types of cream.