Your muscles are tight and achy. Ropy bands with firm knots in the mid-section of the muscle may be felt by you (they are known as myofascial trigger points and their site repeatedly overlaps with the 18 tender points used for diagnosing fibromyalgia). Just pressing on them can send your pain through the roof, but can muscle relaxants ease the tension in your muscles and help untie (or at least loosen) your painful knots?
The query of whether muscle relaxants can ease your pain is problematical by the truth that this class of medications is very miscellaneous, meaning that many drugs in this class vary significantly from the others. That’s why few muscle relaxants may do the work better than other ones.
About which medications in this class they favor and the doses they prescribe two fibromyalgia specialists offer recommendation on this topic, based on their clinical experience. Widespread musculoskeletal pain is the major symptom of the condition called fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia sufferer experiences the pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons that causes his body to feel inflexible and painful, and muscle twitches are also familiar in this condition.
Muscle relaxants are used in order to mask muscle pain, relax the muscles and decrease muscle twitching, as well as obstruct pain sensations in the brain. To individuals with fibromyalgia these medications help provide some release. On a short-term basis muscle relaxants are prescribed in the early hours in a course of back pain normally, to ease back pain linked with muscle spasms. Muscle relaxants are also sometimes prescribed for patients with back pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia. It is considered that they may reduce the pain of stressed muscles and muscle spasms widespread in fibromyalgia.
Muscle relaxants
Muscle relaxants are medications that act as central nervous system depressants and have tranquilizer and musculoskeletal relaxant properties. Muscle relaxants work to provide rest, physical therapy, and ease uneasiness .Muscle relaxants are also helpful for temporary use for acute, painful musculoskeletal conditions.
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Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
Nerve impulses that run from the muscles to the brain are hindered by a muscle relaxer known as cyclobenzaprine. The usual dose of cyclobenzaprine as 5 mg taken three times daily; 10 mg doses may also be given. The drug should not be used for more than two to three weeks and can be taken with or without food. It can potentially be addicting and cause withdrawal symptoms; a health care provider can provide more information about these effects of the medication. The most common side effects, as listed on rxlist.com, include drowsiness, dizziness and dry mouth. Other listed side effects include nausea, constipation, blurred vision, headache and nervousness.
Baclofen
Muscle tightness and muscle spasms are eased with baclofen, together with those related to spine injuries. The medication may be helpful in treating multiple sclerosis and stabbing nerve pain. It is available as a tablet and can be taken by children as young as 12 years old. Nausea and vomiting, uncertainty, drowsiness, headache, or muscle weakness are some universal side effects. In the FDA’s A through X pregnancy safety ranking for medications Baclofen is rated C, with A being the safest.
Orphenadrine Citrate
(Norflex) is a centrally acting analgesic muscle relaxant. It is used as an accessory to relax, physical therapy and indicative measures for acute musculoskeletal pain. The response of Orphenadrine Citrate in 85 fibromyalgia patients was reviewed in an abstract, over a one-year period a noteworthy, constant enhancement in general pain was noted in 34% of patients taking Orphenadrine Citrate (vs. 10% and15% of patients taking Cyclobenzaprine and Amitriptyline ,correspondingly).
The usual short-term dosage is one tablet (100 mg). Uncertainty, uneasiness and tremors, dry mouth and tachycardia are common side effects. A few contra-indications include glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy, pyloric/duodenal obstruction or stenosing peptic ulcers. Periodic monitoring of blood, urine and liver function tests are suggested with extended use.
Carisoprodol (Soma)
Carisoprodol, the brand name drug Soma, is a muscle relaxer that particularly treats muscle rigidity, pain and injury; it also decreases muscle spasms in fibromyalgia. It does this by interacting with pain receptors in the brain. Carisoprodol has not been shown to be effective for prolonged use, according to rxlist.com, so it is not indicated for long-term, prolonged usage. The drug is normally taken in doses of either 250 or 350 mg tablets three times a day and at bedtime. Fast heartbeat, facial flushing, sleepiness, faintness, tremor, anxiety, headache, nausea and seizures are the side effects.
Chlorzoxazone (Lorzone, Parafon Forte DSC)
To relief the uneasiness from acute, painful, musculoskeletal conditions Chlorzoxazone is used. Patients with hypersensitivity to chlorzoxazone it should not be used and unusual liver toxicity has been reported. In case of loss of hunger; nausea, vomiting, or fatigue; stomach pain; dark urine; light stools; or staining of the skin or eyes, doctor should be consulted. Chlorzoxazone is available as a tablet. It has not been rated by the FDA for safety during pregnancy.
Tizanidine (Zanaflex)
To treat tense and rigid muscles that are the result of spasms Tizinadine, also known as Zanaflex, is commonly used. Dosage normally starts at 4 mg to reduce any side effects, and it is helpful for many people at the dose of 8 mg. It should not be taken more than three times daily, with a maximum of 36 mg in 24 hours, according to drugs.com. People taking this medication reported to have lethargy, and it can lower blood pressure, causing dizziness and faintness. Other side effects can include dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, frequent urination, runny nose, speech disorders and vomiting.
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Reference:
- List of Muscle Relaxants for Fibromyalgia BY JAIME HERNDON via Live Strong
- Featured Image via “Find a Top Doc”