Got Back Pain? Skip the Tylenol

Australian researchers gave 1,650 back-pain sufferers a daily dose of acetaminophen (the generic drug Tylenol is made of) or a placebo for four weeks. The acetaminophen worked no better than the fake pills to reduce pain.  The drug is a first-line treatment for back pain, but there’s no evidence it provides more relief than the natural recovery process, explains study author Chris Williams, noting that drugs such as ibuprofen have not been studied.  “That can be reassuring for patients, though.  If they don’t rest in bed, and try to maintain normal activity, they’re very likely to recover quickly.”  Men’s Journal Oct. 2014