Backs go at the daftest moments. Reaching for a dropped TV remote can be enough, and the next three days are spent getting out of chairs like a man of ninety. Ask around and almost everybody has a version of that story. The suitcase out of the boot. The first five-a-side in a year. The weekend spent re-turfing the garden because the weather finally behaved.
Why does a small strain hurt so much? Inflammation, mostly. When a muscle or joint takes a knock, the body floods the area to start fixing it, and that’s a good thing, but it’s also what makes it puffy and stiff and miserable to move. Take the edge off it and you can usually move about a bit more while it mends.
So, naproxen
It’s an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, if you want the full mouthful), one doctors have been prescribing for decades. Basically it blocks some of the chemicals the body makes that drive pain and swelling. People use it for lower back pain, pulled muscles, a sprained ankle, or plantar fasciitis, which is that horrible heel pain where the first steps in the morning feel like walking on Lego.
The interesting bit is how long it lasts. A lot of the painkillers in the bathroom cabinet wear off after a few hours, and then it’s a countdown to the next dose. One dose of naproxen can give relief for up to 12 hours. Handy on a long shift. Handier still at 3am.
You can get it without a prescription now
Naproxen used to be a GP thing. Now you can buy naprosyn over the counter at UK pharmacies, sold as Naprosyn Pain Relief for back, muscle and joint pain. It’s made by Maxwellia, a UK consumer healthcare company whose whole thing is making medicines easier for people to get hold of.
There’s a gastro-resistant coating on the tablets too, meant to let the naproxen out in your intestine instead of your stomach. If anti-inflammatories have upset your tummy in the past, that’s worth knowing about.
Yes, the pharmacist will ask you things
It’s a pharmacy medicine, so you’ll get a few questions at the counter before you walk out with it. That’s normal, anti-inflammatories just aren’t for everyone. Tell them about any stomach trouble or asthma you’ve had, any heart, kidney or liver problems, whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and what else you’re taking (other painkillers count). Read the leaflet. Don’t go over the dose on the box.
Stuff you can do yourself
Keep moving, gently. With most back pain, lying flat in bed for days isn’t the answer, and a slow walk to the corner shop is better than nothing. For the first day or two, a bag of frozen peas in a tea towel helps with swelling. After that, a hot water bottle is the better bet for tight muscles.
Posture matters as well. Hours spent hunched over a laptop on the sofa tend to make the back and neck complain. Getting up every half hour or so helps. And for heel pain, a pair of shoes with some cushioning and proper arch support can make a fair bit of difference.
When to get it looked at
Most of this clears up within a few weeks. A GP is worth seeing if the pain is severe, getting worse, or still no better after a couple of weeks. And don’t hang about if it started after a bad fall or accident. Numbness, weakness, a high temperature, weight loss with no explanation, or any trouble controlling your bladder or bowels all need help straight away.
In short
Back and joint pain can wreck a week, and gritting your teeth isn’t compulsory. Have a quick word with your pharmacist or GP about whether naproxen is right for you, then get back to the five-a-side, or the garden, or just sitting down without wincing.
