“What helps lower back pain in the elderly?”
My grandfather has lower back pain. What helps lower back pain in the elderly?
1 Answer
FamilyMedicine|GeriatricMedicineGeriatricMedicine
It depends on what the cause of the back pain is, his age, and if he has kidney or liver disease or insufficiency. Also, if he has a history of gastric ulcers or PUD he should avoids NSAIDs like Ibuprofen or Naproxen. As long as his liver function is normal, it is safe for him to take around 3,000 mg of Acetaminophen every 24 hours. His labwork should be monitored frequently though to ensure his liver function stays normal. If his back pain is chronic and non-cancer related, he should avoid opioids as they will not help. He can also try pain patches as the pharmacy, like lidocaine, aspercreme or icy hot, and physical therapy. Being active, believe it not, will actually help the pain more than not. Hope this helps.