Muscle Relaxants for Pain Management

20 December 2010

For many kinds of pain, muscle relaxants have proved useful in helping with alleviation of pain due to painful chronic conditions. Muscle relaxants are specifically used for pain due to muscles that are spasming or contracting, and are the most commonly prescribed medication for low back pain. The spasm or contraction is an involuntary or uncontrolled tightening of the muscle. Spasms generally occur suddenly with no warning, and are extremely painful. They are often of short duration, but cause a significant amount of pain.

The prescription of muscle relaxants can help with chronic low back pain and have been used for other painful conditions like arthritis.  Muscle relaxants can lower the level of pain experienced, and can help those suffering with low back pain gain increased flexibility and range of motion. The consistent use of muscle relaxants for those with chronic back pain has generally been seen to improve the patient’s overall condition.

For conditions like arthritis, there is some debate whether muscle relaxants are as efficacious. The main purpose of prescribing a muscle relaxant should be with the goal in mind of helping the patient to regain mobility and range of motion. If the arthritis patient in question can effectively gain mobility, flexibility and range of motion through the use of a prescription muscle relaxant, their physician may recommend this as a course of treatment in conjunction with other treatments.

Another chronic pain condition that has seen some relief from the prescription of muscle relaxants is fibromyalgia. A condition that has chronic muscle spasms as one of its symptoms, fibromyalgia causes the patient an extreme amount of pain and loss of sleep. Muscle relaxants can help with the relief of these chronic spasms, and, when taken before bed, can aid in getting a restful night’s sleep. Many fibromyalgia patients will find that when they receive a restful night’s sleep, they experience more good days, and fewer “fibro flares,” or painful episodes. Specifically, success has been seen with Soma and Flexeril for fibromyalgia patients.

It’s important for patients to follow the prescribing physician’s instructions regarding how and when to take muscle relaxants. Side effects include drowsiness, a feeling of sedation, and sleepiness. You should not operate a motor vehicle or make any major decisions when taking a muscle relaxant. Occasionally, physicians will avoid prescribing muscle relaxants to the elderly, as the sedation effects can sometimes cause these patients to feel unsteady and can fall and injure themselves.