Advances with analgesics and NSAIDs for the treatment of spinal disorders

One of the major developments with regard to chronic non-malignant pain in these last few years has been a better understanding of the mechanisms that act to maintain pain, while inferences about the pathophysiology have facilitated therapeutic decision-making. This chapter reviews the strength of evidence for the therapeutic effect of pharmacological symptomatic approaches using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, opioids and co-analgesics in acute and chronic back pain with an emphasis on the results of randomized controlled trials as well as on the need for long-term comparative trials of drug efficacy, toxicity and compliance.