My doctor has prescribed me Elavil for pain. I am 31 and have had back pain for many years. Does this medication help?

Elavil is a great anti depressant medication and has been around for more than half a century. The only problem with Elavil is that it has many undesirable side effects. However, besides depression Elavil is used to treat many types of pain disorders, anxiety and is also a great sleeping pill. In children, Elavil is often administered for bed-wetting. Other off label uses of Elavil includes treatment of shingles, bulimia and neuropathic pain. As far as back pain is concerned, less than 10% of patients benefit from Elavil. Even among these, the drop rates are high because of side effects. 

You may try it for pain relief but its benefits often take several weeks.