For back pain caused by inflammation, I abandoned using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory meds years ago after reading up on how bad these pills were for my stomach. It’s been well researched and reported that prolonged used of Ibuprofen can lead to heart problems and intestinal bleeding. A safer way to use anti-inflammatory medication is to use it locally, applied directly to the skin on the areas of the body where inflammatory pain persists. There’s lots of different creams on the market, but the one I’ve found to be most effective are Salonpas patches. These stick directly to my back and on days where I’ve been sitting for long periods of time and can feel that burning sensation caused by inflammation, I apply a patch and within 15 minutes can feel it working.
