Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management

Recommendation ID: NG59/1
Question: Pharmacological therapies:- What is the clinical and cost effectiveness of benzodiazepines for the acute management of low back pain?
Any explanatory notes (if applicable): Why this is important:- Guidelines from many countries have said that muscle relaxants should be considered for shortterm use in people with low back pain when the paraspinal muscles are in spasm. The evidence for this mainly comes from studies on medications that are not licensed for this use in the UK. The 2009 NICE guideline on low back pain recommends to consider prescribing diazepam as a muscle relaxant in this situation, but the evidence base to support this particular medicine is extremely small. Benzodiazepines are not without risk of harm, even for short-term use. Because of this, there is a need to find out if diazepam is clinically and cost effective in the management of acute low back pain.

Source guidance details

Comes from guidance: Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management
Number: NG59
Date issued: November 2016

Is this a recommendation for the use of a technology only in the context of research?	No
Is it a recommendation that suggests collection of data or the establishment of a register?	No
Last Reviewed	30/11/2016