A meta-anaylsis of research recently published in the British Medical Journal has shown paracetamol has no effect on the experience of lower back pain. The research included a meta-analysis of 13 randomised controlled studies involving nearly 5,400 patients. These studies looked at the effects of paracetamol use compared with placebo. The study showed that for lower back pain paracetamol had no effect and did not reduce disability or improve quality of life compared with placebo.