Answer

Paracetamol alone is not recommended for the management of lower back pain, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Instead, NICE advises the use of an over-the-counter (OTC) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen first-line – if there are no contraindications at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. According to NICE, there are also other measures Kyle’s dad can take that might ease his back pain, including staying physically active and exercising (rather than resting, which many people still believe to be beneficial), having a course of manual therapy such as physiotherapy or osteopathy, and trying a course of acupuncture. It is also worth him trying to work out what factors trigger his back pain (e.g. poor posture caused by driving or sitting at a desk for long periods of time, or perhaps lifting heavy weights or objects) and addressing these issues if he can. The fact that he doesn’t suffer with his back to the extent that he feels the need to take painkillers all the time is encouraging, but he may also want to look at ways of trying to prevent further deterioration by losing weight if he needs to, wearing flat, supportive shoes, and considering his sleeping position and whether he might benefit from stress management measures such as learning relaxation techniques.