Antidepressants Prove Ineffective Against Back And Osteoarthritis Pain

People are suffering from a lot of back and osteoarthritis pain owing to the constant habit of sitting in a single place working glued to the laptop amid the lockdown. The increasing cases of back pain in people has encouraged the doctors to create more awareness about exercising, posture correction, and constant movement of the limbs, hands, and neck within every 10–15 Minutes. However, people have been using antidepressant drugsto treat these conditions instead of taking the necessary care. It is recently that the researchers have found the antidepressant to prove ineffective for back and osteoarthritis pain. The latest finding showed the antidepressant to prove ineffective against back pain but a little beneficial forosteoarthritis.

As per the clinical practice guidelines antidepressants are recommended for long term (chronic) back pain and hip & knee osteoarthritis. However, there is no supporting proof that its use is effective. It is this reason that researcher Giovanni Ferreira and his team from the University of Sydney are working toward studying the efficiency and safety of antidepressants for back and osteoarthritis pain.The researchers on carrying out a trial found theserotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)or depression drugsto have reduced back pain to a clinically inconsiderable amount. In case of osteoarthritis, the effect of SNRIs on pain was considerable.

The lack of evidence showed the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) to be ineffective against back pain and related disability. But these could reduce pain in people with sciatica. The researchers are working on the dose-response relation for majority of the antidepressants. The update on the use of antidepressants for back pain, sciatica, and osteoarthritis will help clinicians and their patients on planning if antidepressants can reduce their chronic pain. The researchers need to find better drug treatments to help people with such severe disorders to live quality life without having to feel any more of the pain.