Does Ibuprofen aid in healing or just a pain reliever?

I've had lower back problems for years. When my back goes out, I'm so bad off I can't move, rool over in bed, or even walk. I get crooked, one leg longer then the other and lean way to the right. I'm basically paralyzed. For years, when my back first goes out I've been told to take Ibuprofen, but rejected it.

Threa days ago my back went out, same symptoms as above only this time the pain was so bad, I finally gave in a popped a 600 mg ibuprofen. $ hours later, I was on my feet and the sweeling causeing the cookedness and uneven leg length was reduced by some 75%. I was not 100%, but could at least situp and walk about the home. This was amazing as usually I'm bed ridden for 2-3 weeks.

So my question is, does Ibuprofen actually aid in healing by being an anti-inflamatory, or was this just the pain reduing affect.? 12 hours later symptoms came back, but not near as bad so I took another and I'm 90% back to normal. Is this typical? If so, for me, this drug is a miracle!

but it is an anti-inflamatory, which most back problems are due to muscle spasms and inflamation in-between verebrea, so to me this indicates it does more then just relieve the pain?

Hi,
Ibuprofen doesn't actually aid in healing. It acts to reduce inflammation by blocking an enzyme responsible for producing molecules called Prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins function as messenger molecules in the process of inflammation. These molecules are produced by a set of enzymes called CycloOxygenase (COX). NSAIDS like ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, meloxicam etc. inhibit this enzyme thus blocking/inhibiting the formation of prostaglandins. There are at least 2 variations of cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2), and Ibuprofen inhibits both COX-1 and COX-2.

Analgesic/antipyretic/anti-inflammator... activity are achieved principally through COX-2 inhibition; whereas COX-1 inhibition is responsible for its unwanted effects on platelet aggregation and the GI mucosa (gastric irritation).

Hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you have more questions. Cheers,
AJ

Both. It is an anti-imflammatory and pain med. Long term use will cause more damge to your gastro-intestinal system worse then present problem.

That is just to help with pain. If i was you i would go see a chiro. I had bad back pain and after two visits to the chio i was feeling much better

It does not solve the problem, but it helps to relieve some of the symptoms. Yes it is an anti-inflammatory but it does not fix the root cause of the problem.

Ibuprofen is a pain reliever and anti inflammatory. That is why you feel better after taking it. Be aware, taking too much Ibuprofen will affect your kidneys as it will reduce kidney function.

No it doesnt aid in healing, it may take down the swelling for a short period of time, but that is it. Sorry

Ibuprofen, being an anti-inflammatory, will reduce the inflammation that causes the pain that you are experiencing. Therefore, when it reduces the inflammation the pain subsides. You need to take the medication on a regular basis so that the symptoms don't come back.