Muscle relaxers have a potential for abuse and addiction. Prolonged use can lead to increased tolerance and physical dependence, especially with Soma. For this reason, muscle relaxers are intended as a short-term treatment not to be prescribed for more than 2-3 weeks.
Muscle relaxers have a potential for misuse and addiction, especially carisoprodol and diazepam. Prolonged use can lead to increased tolerance and physical dependence.
Recommendations generally limit the use of these drugs to a maximum of three weeks, since they have not been shown to work for muscle spasms beyond that duration, and they can cause serious side effects including falls, fractures, vehicle crashes, abuse, dependence, and overdose.
Adults and children 15 years of age and older—10 milligrams (mg) 3 times a day. The largest amount should be no more than 60 mg (six 10-mg tablets) a day.
Seizures. Hypotension (low blood pressure) Drowsiness or dizziness. Rigidity or stiffness.
Muscle relaxants can be addictive, so it's ideal to use them for the shortest possible time and keep them away from other adults and children. Because these medications depress the central nervous system, breathing can be affected, and an overdose can be fatal.
In general, muscle relaxers act as central nervous system depressants and cause a sedative effect or prevent your nerves from sending pain signals to your brain. The onset of action is rapid and effects typically last from 4-6 hours.
Metaxalone
Taken as 800 mg tablets 3 to 4 times a day, metaxalone (Skelaxin) has the fewest reported side effects. It's also the least likely of the muscle relaxants to make you sleepy. It may work better for chronic lower back pain that is flaring up, rather than for pain that is new.
Potential Side Effects
Blurred vision; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; weight gain.
It is unsafe to take a muscle relaxer without following the recommendations on the prescription label. Prolonged usage can lead to physical addiction problems, which is why they are recommended for short-term use to calm a spastic muscle.
Side Effects Associated with Muscle Relaxers
Side effects of muscle relaxers include: Sleepiness or grogginess. Fatigue. Dry mouth.
They can promote recovery by blocking the feeling of pain, so people can get the rest they need to heal. Common uses of muscle relaxants for back or neck pain include: During physical therapy. Muscle relaxers may be prescribed while the person is starting a new physical therapy program.
Addiction and Abuse. Muscle relaxants can be addictive for some people. Taking them without a prescription, or taking more than your doctor has recommended, can increase your chances of becoming addicted. So can using them over a long period of time.
Effects on the heart warning: This drug may cause heart arrhythmias (heart rate or rhythm problems). Your risk may be higher if you take a drug to treat depression or if you already have heart problems. If these issues aren't treated, they can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Muscle relaxers work to alleviate muscle spasms and pain. Five of the most common muscle relaxers prescribed are carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine, diazepam, metaxalone, and methocarbamol.
While muscle relaxants may provide short-term relief of acute lower back pain and muscle spasms, these medications can cause adverse side effects. Some muscle relaxers can also be addictive. For these reasons, a person should limit their use as much as possible.
The problem with muscle relaxants — and it's a big problem — is this: Although the drugs are effective and have been in use for decades, most of them work through the central nervous system, causing general sedation and not by targeting muscle tissue.
Carisoprodol. Carisoprodol helps alleviate musculoskeletal pain. It's a schedule IV drug (meaning it's a controlled substance) that is prone to abuse. While its potency usually sets within 30 minutes, its effectiveness is only known to last up to three weeks.
Narcotics and muscle relaxants can worsen memory and thinking, increase the risk of falls and cause constipation, dry mouth, sedation, dizziness and drowsiness.
The pros and cons
“The benefits of getting a relaxer are having straight hair if you prefer straight hair and having your styling time cut in half,” Tippi says. “The cons are that you obviously don't have the option to wear your hair naturally curly anymore, and also the amount of commitment it takes,” she adds.
Can muscle relaxers cause constipation? Yes, patients who start taking these drugs may observe a change in their bowel movements. This is because muscle relaxers cause constipation. Doctors often recommend patients to make changes in their diet while taking this medication.