 Muscle
relaxants
Muscle relaxants are not really a class of drugs,
but rather a group of different drugs that each
has an overall sedative effect on the body. These
drugs do not act directly on the muscles, rather
they act centrally (in the brain) and are more
of a total body relaxant.
Typically, muscle relaxants are prescribed early
in a course of back pain, on a short-term basis,
to relieve low back pain associated with muscle
spasms. There are several types of muscle relaxant
medications that are commonly used to treat low
back pain:
-
Carisoprodol (Soma). This drug’s dosage
is 350mg every eight hours as needed for muscle
spasm. Soma is typically prescribed on a short-term
basis and may be habit-forming, especially
if used in conjunction with alcohol or other
drugs that act on the mind.
-
Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril). This medication
can be used on a longer-term basis and actually
has a chemical structure related to some antidepressant
medications, although it is not an antidepressant.
Usually it is prescribed as 10mg every six
hours as needed to relieve low back pain associated
with muscle spasm, or it can also be prescribed
as 10mg at night as needed to help with difficulty
sleeping. Flexeril can impair mental and physical
function, and may lead to urinary retention
in males with large prostates.
-
Diazepam (Valium). Valium is usually limited
to one to two weeks of use, and the typical
dosage is 5-10mg every six hours as needed
to relieve low back pain associated with muscle
spasm. Because of its habit-forming potential,
and because it changes sleep cycles and makes
it very difficult to sleep after stopping
the drug, Valium should not be used long term.
Patients should also note that Valium is a
depressant and can worsen depression associated
with chronic pain.
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