# Best pain medication **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 13, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649 "2012-10-13T21:53:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/1 "2012-10-13T21:53:47Z")
I have a bad back and so far nothing I’ve tried relieves the pain. Any ideas? I can’t afford to go to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/2 "2012-10-13T21:58:45Z")
I’ve had lots of back pain. Alleve and Advil work pretty good as far as over the counter. Prescription-wise, something called Ibudone works really well. But the best thing for my back is if I stretch a lot. As much as I hate it. Particularly my hamstrings. But there a bunch of other stretches I do, as well. In fact, I think I need to do them now! Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/3 "2012-10-13T22:32:33Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > I’ve had lots of back pain. Alleve and Advil work pretty good as far as over the counter. Prescription-wise, something called Ibudone works really well. But the best thing for my back is if I stretch a lot. As much as I hate it. Particularly my hamstrings. But there a bunch of other stretches I do, as well. In fact, I think I need to do them now! > > Good luck. Ibudone is hydrocodone plus ibuprofen… Hydrocodone is what is in Vicodin… Which probably isn’t going to be available to someone who can’t afford a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/4 "2012-10-13T23:56:09Z")
It depends what’s causing the pain. I get lower back spasms, and I highly recommend getting the book “The Y’s Way to a Healthy Back.” It’s a series of gentle, low-impact exercises to stretch your hamstrings and strengthen your abs. You’re supposed to do them every day, but I only do them when I’m in pain. Even doing them once helps. Doan’s pills also work, as a temporary quick fix. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/5 "2012-10-14T00:01:43Z")
By “bad back” I assume you mean pain caused by a disk problem of some kind. Everything below will help reduce muscular spasm caused by the disk irritating your nerves. Relaxed muscles=less pain and less compression of the vertebrae by the muscles, so hopefully the disk will go back in a little bit or at least not bulge more. Take two Aleve (naprosyn, naproxen sodium) twice a day. You can buy the generic kind in bulk at a drugstore, or places like Costco. TAKE WITH FOOD, these are very hard on your stomach. You can take tylenol (acetaminophen) also to help. A heating pad will help too, and is inexpensive and lasts forever. Hot baths will help. Stretching will also help. Exercise to build up your core muscles will help, as will maintaining good posture. Try to consciously tighten your abdominals when you walk around, or if you stand for a long time, this will help “correct” your posture so you’re placing less strain on your back. Massage will also help; perhaps you can ask a friend or significant other if you cannot afford professional help. Back pain sucks, I hope these suggestions will help you manage it. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/6 "2012-10-14T00:04:42Z")
Real-life situation, asking for opinions. Moved from General Questions to IMHO. **samclem** , Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/7 "2012-10-15T18:56:02Z")
McKenzie exercises worked great for me. There are books on that topic . ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/8 "2012-10-15T19:20:10Z")
As said before, the best thing to do for back pain is strengthening exercises. Here’s a good [link](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/back-pain/LB00001_D) Also ice packs for acute pain. 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off. Good luck. Back pain isn’t any fun at all. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/9 "2012-10-15T19:51:51Z")
Four(4) 200 mg ibuprofen (otc) = 800 mg, which is prescription strength. Take every eight hours. Alternate with two(2) 500 mg acetaminophen (otc), which is 1000mg, or prescription strength. Take these on the median 4 hour mark between the ibu doses. Use ice, not heat. And yes, stretch. (I have considerable cred in this area, having arrived at these dosages in discussion with my doctors and anesthesiologists. I had a steroid injection in my back for post-delivery pain; somehow it was contaminated and I contracted a staph infection of the spinal cord. Neurosurgery was major; hospitalization was long. It’s not so bad now, but then the above is what I use to ensure that.) ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/10 "2012-10-17T11:57:53Z")
4 days later… ``` uh-oh, you guys didn't really take all that, did you? ``` 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AndyLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@AndyLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyLee)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/11 "2012-10-17T15:35:37Z")
Orudis, is great, it used to be OTC but now they don’t sell it anymore. I don’t know why they took it off the market but you probably can find some online somewhere still ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pain-medication/637649/12 "2012-10-17T15:56:02Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > I have considerable cred in this area, having arrived at these dosages in discussion with my doctors and anesthesiologists. Be cautious about applying your own specific experiences onto others, whose own particular cases may be very different. Some fires should be put out with water, others are best extinguished by sand. 🙂