Efficacy of paracetamol for acute low back pain

A study published recently in The Lancet indicating that paracetamol may not be effective in treating back pain has resulted in a good deal of media interest.  The authors concluded that "regular or as-needed dosing with paracetamol does not affect recovery time compared with placebo in low-back pain, and [we] question the universal endorsement of paracetamol in this patient group."

Two of the Australian authors, Christopher Williams and Jane Latimer, published a reader-friendly summary of their findings in The Conversation,  Put down the paracetamol, it's just a placebo for low back pain, and you can also find a handy precis by Norman Swan on the ABC news website.

The Lancet article, "Efficacy of paracetamol for acute low-back pain: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial" can be obtained in fulltext from the CIAP website, or by contacting your health librarian.  The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 24 July 2014 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60805-9