Muscle Relaxers: What They Are, Uses, Side Effects & Types

In addition, some of these medications treat conditions not related to muscle function. For example, providers sometimes prescribe diazepam to treat anxiety and seizures. This may place them at an increased risk of encountering side effects such as drowsiness and fatigue from too much medication, according to the study’s primary investigator.

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FLEXERIL 5 mg should be used for relief of painful muscle spasm along with rest and physical therapy. It should only be used for short periods of time, usually 2-3 weeks FLEXERIL 5 mg is a prescription medicine and should not be taken by patients who have had a recent heart attack or have heart disease. It should not be used by people with an overactive thyroid or who are currently or have recently used MAOIs.

Highlights for Cyclobenzaprine

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with Flexeril. It is unknown if Flexeril passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Flexeril is usually taken once daily for only 2 or 3 weeks. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets.

They are in a group of medications called skeletal muscle relaxants. Skelaxin and Flexeril are most commonly prescribed as their generic counterparts, metaxalone and cyclobenzaprine. The way they work is not completely understood, but may be due to central nervous system (CNS) depression and sedative effects. These medications do not act directly on the muscle or nerves. Muscle relaxers (also called muscle relaxants) are prescription medications that affect muscle function. Healthcare providers prescribe them to treat several symptoms, such as muscle spasms, spasticity and musculoskeletal pain.

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You should likely start off by taking the medication at night to see how you respond, as sedation is a common side effect. The overall incidence of adverse reactions among patients in the surveillance program was less than the incidence in the controlled clinical studies. Yes, cyclobenzaprine can make you very sleepy and this side effect may get worse with higher doses. Drowsiness is the most commonly reported side effect in studies, occurring in up to 38% (38 out of 100) of people.

Can I use Skelaxin or Flexeril with alcohol?

Inform your doctor of all known allergies and of all medications and supplements that you take. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. https://flexeril.live Cyclobenzaprine acts on your central nervous system to block nerve impulses (or pain sensations) that are sent to your brain helping your muscles to relax.

• Baclofen is considered the first-line treatment for spasticity, especially for adults who have spinal cord injuries.
• Other treatments can help with spasticity as well, including physical therapy and Botox® injections.
• You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
• Drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, or tiredness may occur.
• Do not take extra doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.

Generic Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) is a muscle relaxer that relieves pain and discomfort caused by strains, sprains, and other muscle injuries. Flexeril is commonly prescribed for short-term use, in combination with rest and physical therapy, after accidents or other circumstances where healing may be slowed by muscle strain. In some cases, Flexeril can be used to treat pain from certain musculoskeletal disorders like fibromyalgia. If your health condition or symptoms fail to improve or worsen, please call your doctor. Do not take other people’s drugs and do not share your drugs with others. Keep a list of all your healthcare treatments (prescription and OTC medications, vitamins, supplements, alternative therapy regimens) and provide this list to your doctor.

Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. Cyclobenzaprine is the generic version of Flexeril, and requires a prescription. You can buy generic cyclobenzaprine at Blink Health for a discounted price.

Your doctor or pharmacist can help you choose an OTC treatment. You should only use these muscle relaxants for up to 2 or 3 weeks. You should have regular appointments with your healthcare provider when taking a muscle relaxant to assess how well it’s working. Healthcare providers mainly prescribe antispastic muscle relaxers to treat spasticity. Dr. Cook, a licensed pharmacist, and two fourth-year PharmD students at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy conducted the study, which evaluated the weight variability of 90 cyclobenzaprine HCl 10 mg tablets.

International Patients

Each type of prescription muscle relaxer has different possible side effects. It’s important to talk to your provider or a pharmacist about possible side effects of the specific medication you’re taking or thinking of taking. There are no over-the-counter (OTC) muscle relaxants in the United States.