2016-02-07 14:46:27
A Cochrane review was conducted on varying herbal medicines for low back pain (1). Cochrane reviews are very high level evidence that examine a number of different databases and studies and then attempt to come to an over-arching conclusion. Many people with low back pain use herbal medicines. This review included randomized controlled trials for adults over the age of 18 suffering from acute, sub-acute, or chronic non-specific low back pain. Two review authors assessed clinical relevance and resolved any disagreements by consensus. The main results showed that 14 trials were included. Overall, the authors conclude that Cayenne reduces pain more than placebo. Although H. procumbens, S. alba, S. officinale L., S. chilensis, and lavender essential oil also seem to reduce pain more than placebo, evidence for these substances was of moderate quality at best. In general, the completeness of reporting in these trials was poor, making it difficult to make any strong claims.
References
- Oltean H, et al. Herbal medicine for low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;12:CD004504.