Can I Take Painkillers Whilst I Am Pregnant?

Being pregnant may affect which types of analgesic you can take safely without causing harm to your baby. Paracetamol is not known to be harmful in pregnant women and is usually preferred over other painkillers. In contrast, aspirin and ibuprofen are not recommended, especially in the later stages of pregnancy.

Some clinical studies have even linked the use of these drugs with an increased chance of miscarriage. Your doctor will not usually prescribe opioids as pain relief whilst you are pregnant. If you already take prescribed opioids and you are planning to get pregnant, you should seek medical advice before trying to conceive. Your doctor will weigh up the risks to you and to your baby and may suggest alternative pain medications. This is because babies of women taking opioids have about a 50% chance of showing symptoms of drug withdrawal after birth.

Back Pain And The Elderly

Elderly people are more likely to experience vertebral fractures as a result of underlying, age-related bone diseases such as osteoporosis. For this reason, they may require more pain relief than people of a younger age. The painkillers aspirin and other NSAIDs (eg. ibuprofen) should be used with caution in the elderly. This is because older people are more susceptible to the side-effects of these drugs, like increased gastrointestinal bleeding and abdominal pain.

Before resorting to these drugs, it is advisable to try other means of pain relief if possible. These may include losing weight, using a walking stick and keeping warm, and in terms of drugs, using paracetamol instead of aspirin, or using a low dose of ibuprofen. Another option is combining paracetamol with a weak opioid analgesic.


What Should I Expect?
Realistically speaking, if you have suffered from back pain in the past, the chances are that you will suffer from it again. Up to 80% of people who have had back pain will get it again within a year. The trick is to learn how to handle and stay in control of your back pain, either by anticipating and preventing it, or by learning to live with it. Remember, in the vast majority of cases, back pain lasts for less than 2 weeks.


Will It Go Away On Its Own?
In all probability , your back pain will sort itself out. If it doesn't then there are a number of things you can try that may relieve your pain. Although a complete cure may be difficult to achieve, you should be able to live with your back pain without it restricting your lifestyle significantly. Most importantly, you shoud not allow pain to control the way in which you live your life.


QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR

• Do you know what's causing my back pain?
• How severe is my back pain?
• It is likely to get worse?
• Do I need to have any tests?
• What type of treatment suits me best?
• What should I do if the treatment doesn't make me feel better?
• Can I carry on going to work?
• How long will it take for me to get better?
• What else can I do to make my back feel better?
• Are there any exercises that can make my back stronger?
• Are there any alternative or complementary therapies that might help?
• What can I do to avoid getting back pain again?
• Is it all right for me to drive?