Over-the-Counter Muscle Relaxers: Options, Side Effects, & Risks

These active ingredients typically make up joint supplements although, these are also widely used in creams, sprays, and gels for localized relief of aching joints. An Australian study on topical creams containing glucosamine sulfate showed significant pain reduction result in 4-8 weeks. Someone may begin taking is flexeril a controlled substance 2017 Ibuprofen to manage mild to moderate pain. This may lead to the risk of developing a dependency and tolerance to this drug because they feel they cannot function normally without the medication. Even if you have failed previously, relapsed, or are in a difficult crisis, we stand ready to support you.

• The drug will need to build up in your system in order to have maximum effect.
• They might not have the same potency as high-grade and prescribed muscle relaxers, but they’re still effective and have few side effects.
• They work by increasing the effects of certain neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that relay messages between your brain cells.
• Muscle relaxants are one such class of second-line pain medications that are particularly useful for acute pain.

There is not enough good quality research on the other medications—chlorzoxazone, metaxalone, and methocarbamol—to determine how well they relieve pain. When you first begin one of these drugs, take the first dose at a time when you do not have to be at work or go anywhere, such as in the evening or on a weekend, to see how much sedation you experience. In this article, we’ll explain what Flexeril is and discuss when it’s effective. We’ll also share the potential risks and side effects of using Flexeril so that you can make an informed choice about how to manage your pain.

Compare Over-the-Counter Muscle Pain Relief

They may be an option if pain is preventing you from getting enough sleep. Because muscle relaxants cause drowsiness, they can help you get rest when you take them at night. Doctors prescribe metaxalone in combination with rest, physical therapy, and other nondrug treatment strategies for painful muscle conditions. Flexeril is used together with rest and physical therapy to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as pain, injury, or spasms.

Now that you understand which muscle relaxers apply best to your pain, let’s see which ones are the most cost effective. Other drugs may interact with cyclobenzaprine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. You should only use these muscle relaxants for up to 2 or 3 weeks.

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Qualified drug rehabs are the best options for seeking detox or rehabilitation programs. They can be used as muscle relaxers for sciatica, and their antispasmodic properties have yet to be established. It is a widely recognized brand of topical pain relief products that fall under the OTC muscle relaxers category. This topical OTC drug consists of 10% menthol, 30% methyl salicylate, and 4% camphor. Physical withdrawal symptoms of Naproxen can last from hours or up to days.

Do I Need a Muscle Relaxer?

If a person requires an intrathecal injection, they receive a single dose of 50 micrograms (mcg). If there is a response to the treatment, the doctor will adjust the dosage. Acute musculoskeletal pain occurs in a specific area of the body, in the muscles, joints, bones, and ligaments.

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We also relied on Cochrane reviews, low back pain guidelines from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society, and other articles. Many of the available studies on these medications are old and don’t meet today’s standards for high-quality research. So despite the widespread use of muscle relaxants, the evidence for several of these drugs is sparse or of low-quality. This makes it difficult to determine if any of the muscle relaxants are more effective or pose more safety concerns than others. Common side effects of cyclobenzaprine include drowsiness and dizziness.

People who become addicted to carisoprodol sometimes abuse the drug because they are no longer using it for medical reasons, and they crave it. Your doctor might first suggest you try an over-the-counter medicine like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to treat your pain. But if those don’t work, or you can’t take them because you have another issue like liver problems or ulcers, you may need to try a muscle relaxant.

Muscle relaxants are also used to treat skeletal muscle spasms (tension, cramping, or involuntary contractions). For example, they are used to treat muscle spasms caused by conditions such as acute low back pain, tension headaches, and fibromyalgia. Some of the muscle relaxants used to reduce muscle spasms include cyclobenzaprine, methocarbamol, carisoprodol, metaxalone, chlorzoxazone, and orphenadrine.

Cyclobenzaprine is effective for relieving lower back and neck pain (6, 7). Patients who suffer from fibromyalgia may find that cyclobenzaprine both relaxes their aching muscles and helps improve their sleep (8). Before taking a muscle relaxer, discuss potential side effects with your healthcare provider.