The 7 Best Natural Muscle Relaxers Known To Man
Are you suffering from tight, painful muscles? Or maybe you keep getting muscle spasms and have no idea why.
If youre reading this, my guess is you are…
Muscle tension can cause tremendous discomfort. It makes any task seem like a huge chore.
Take it from someone who had extreme tension headaches nearly every day for more than four years. I know what youre going through. It sucks. But I knew I had to do something about my pain.
So, I dug deep into the scientific research to find the best natural muscle relaxers known to man. Since they turned out to be so effective, I decided to share this list in hopes to help people like you.
This article will show you several different muscle relaxers you can use, different methods to release your tense muscles for the long term, and how to prevent them from coming back.
The Best Natural Muscle Relaxers
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Pros And Cons Of Otc Medicines For Anxiety
While there are some advantages to taking OTC remedies for anxiety, there are also a number of potential drawbacks to consider. Before you take any kind of OTC medication for your anxiety, be sure to talk to your doctor to help avoid adverse effects and harmful medication interactions.
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Potential to cause drowsiness during the day
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Not effective for severe anxiety
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Not approved by FDA for treating anxiety, or not regulated by FDA
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Not meant for long-term use for anxiety
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Potential side effects
Antispasmodics: Centrally Acting Skeletal Muscle Relaxants
According to Waldman H.J. centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants and associated drugs. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management Centrally acting SMRs help relieve muscle spasms and are thought to work by causing a sedative effect or preventing pain signals from reaching the brain. It is best that they only be used for two to three weeks as research has not yet been done on their safety after prolonged use.
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Muscle Relaxers For Neck Pain
Muscle relaxants work for spasms in the neck, but they are recommended for initial and short-term treatment of pain. Some of the neck muscle relaxers include:
- carisoprodol ,
- metaxalone ,
- orphenadrine .
These drugs cannot be considered as best because they are only going to work for a short term basis, up to 2 or 3 weeks. If one is looking for quick relief from pain, an individual can opt home muscle relaxers such as chamomile or other herbs, or consider getting physical therapy.
The Best Advice You Could Ever Get About Over The Counter Anxiety Medication
Anxiety can cause major problems in your everyday life due to symptoms such as rapid heart rate, heavy sweating, insomnia, and restlessness. While there are various ways to cope with and manage anxiety, one common way is the use of medication, especially for people with anxiety disorders with immense symptoms. Unfortunately, the only medications for anxiety are prescription and can not be bought over the counter. There is no such thing as over-the-counter anxiety medication. Anxiety medication alters the brain which is why it is a controlled substance and something you have to obtain from a doctor. On the other hand, there are things you can take that are not prescription that is not necessarily anxiety medications, and can be purchased over the counter. These things can have similar effects that can alleviate some symptoms of anxiety and stress but it is not the same as prescription anxiety medication.
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Muscle Relaxers For Sciatica
Muscle relaxants such as Flexeril are prescribed to get relief from the pain and discomfort that is associated with sciatica. But the sciatica muscle relaxers are not the best option for pain as it confuses older people.Depending on the pain, these medicines should only be used in the initial stages. At times, some individuals consider the usage of opioid medication such as Tramadol to treat severe pain but make sure that the combination of Tramadol and muscle relaxers is not consumed as they interact with each other.
Safety Of Otc Medications For Anxiety
The safety of using over-the-counter medication for anxiety generally depends on what you take and how you use it. Some of the safety concerns to consider include:
In the case that you take too much Benadryl and are at risk of overdose, seek emergency help. You can contact Poison Control Centers 24 hours a day at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose can lead to rapid heart rate, not being able to urinate, blurred vision, agitation, confusion, drowsiness, and unsteadiness among other symptoms. Those that require immediate help include trouble breathing, hallucinations, seizures, and unresponsiveness.
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Tech Neck: The New Muscle Injury
The country seems to have an addiction to our gadgets. People of every age and in every walk of life are walking around with their cell phones in their hands. If youve started to feel pain and stiffness in your neck after spending hours using your gadgets, it could be a condition called tech neck.
The dominant symptom of tech neck is pain in the neck. Sometimes the pain radiates out to the back and/or shoulders, and you might have headaches, too. These occur from muscles spasms in the neck.
Fortunately, treating tech neck is simple. It requires some commonsense steps like taking frequent breaks from using your devices. Use your gadget at the same level as your eyes instead of always leaning over it. Maintain good posture and get plenty of exercise that supports your core muscles. Apply cold and/or heat if it provides relief.
What Is The Dosage Of Benzodiazepines And Cyclobenzaprine
Benzodiazepine dosage
Dosage depends on the type of benzodiazepine prescribed. All oral benzodiazepines are available in tablet forms.
- Alprazolam and clorazepate are available as extended-release tablets.
- Alprazolam, clobazam, diazepam, and lorazepam are available in oral liquid form.
- Alprazolam and clonazepam are available in orally dissolving tablets.
- Chlordiazepoxide, oxazepam, and temazepam are available in capsule form.
- Diazepam also is available as a rectal gel.
Some benzodiazepines are available for injection.
Cyclobenzaprine dosage
- The recommended dose of cyclobenzaprine dose is 5 or 10 mg three times daily using immediate release tablets or 15 or 30 mg once daily using extended release tablets.
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Abuse And Serious Risks Are Possible
Muscle relaxants can be addictive, so it’s ideal to use them for the shortest possible time and keep them away from other adults and children. Because these medications depress the central nervous system, breathing can be affected, and an overdose can be fatal.
Combining a muscle relaxant with alcohol or another medication that also has a sedating effect is especially dangerous.
What Are The Best Prescription Muscle Relaxers
There are certain times when over-the-counter medications simply arent enough. If youve been taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen consistently but are still dealing with back pain, spasms, or other issues, it might be time for something more robust. In cases like these, doctors may look to prescription muscle relaxants as a more effective, albeit temporary, answer.
A pulled back muscle or neck pain may require a doctors visit or other diagnostic tests to get to the heart of the issue, Dr. Lewis says. There are several good prescription medications like methocarbamol, cyclobenzaprine, and metaxalone.
Recent studies have shown that skeletal muscle relaxants , or antispasmodics, outperform anti-inflammatory drugs , like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, in relieving severe pain associated with conditions like acute back pain. On the flip side, they also have potentially more serious side effects and shouldnt be used for long-term pain management. Even so, these prescription drugs are effective and reliable options for short-term pain relief:
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Why Muscle Relaxers Arent Always A Good Option
Weve talked about the potential side effects and interactions caused by some muscle relaxers. Although doctors might consider them necessary for some conditions, they arent always a good choice.
Like tech neck, the pain from some conditions can be effectively treated with conservative methods. It is especially risky to use these powerful drugs for chronic conditions. It isnt just the dangerous side effects that damage your health that you should consider. Its also those that interfere with your everyday capabilities.
If youve experienced a severely painful injury, you might be desperate for any degree of pain relief. If your doctor believes muscle relaxers can safely provide pain relief for the short term, they might be a good idea. But understand that these drugs dont always work. Sometimes the side effects make you feel worse than your injury.
Some people have medical conditions that prevent them from taking pain medication. Even over-the-counter NSAIDs are off limits. If you cant take pain pills, your doctor might prescribe muscle relaxers instead.
What if your injury or illness isnt so severe to prevent you from going to work? Although tech neck and lower back pain make sitting at a desk or picking up even small weights painful, you might have the option to work around activities that cause you pain.
What If I Take Too Much
The amount of clonazepam that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person.
If you take too much clonazepam, you may get symptoms including:
- poor coordination or trouble speaking
- feeling sleepy
- a slow or irregular heartbeat
- uncontrolled eye movements
Urgent advice: Contact 111 for advice if:
- you take too much clonazepam
Go to 111.nhs.uk or
If you need to go to A& E, do not drive yourself. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance.
Take the clonazepam packet, or the leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine with you.
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Warnings For Prescription Muscle Relaxants:
Muscle relaxants are effective at relieving pain but can be habit-forming. Be sure to take your medication exactly as prescribed by your healthcare physicians. It can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures or hallucinations. Do not suddenly stop taking your medication if youve been on it for a long time.
Muscle Relaxers For Menstrual Cramps
The contraction of smooth muscles causes menstrual cramps so, a subset of muscle relaxants such as smooth muscle spasmolytics can only help. Muscle relaxants only work best for skeletal muscles and are not considered helpful for cramps. Therefore, one should always go for regular painkillers for cramps, as advised by a doctor.
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Muscle Relaxants That Helps To Treat Fibromyalgia Pain
The disorder of Fibromyalgia leaves its victims in chronic pain that is unbearable to say the least. The long-term condition has no known cure with only possible treatment is treating the symptoms and trying to reduce the pain. However, the pain is still relentless. Different techniques have been used to help manage the pain. One such is using muscle relaxants. Muscle Relaxants are the pain medications commonly used to provide relief to people who are suffering from pain.
So, we asked our Facebook community Living With Fibromyalgia and Chronic Illness if they knew of any Muscle relaxants to ease the pain of Fibro. We hope their answers might help our fibromyalgia resources website readers who suffer from Fibro or know someone who does.
Will I Need To Go Through Detox To Recover From A Flexeril Addiction
Flexeril causes withdrawal symptoms when it is stopped. For that reason, you might want to consider going through the detoxification process when you are ready to recover. Prescription drug detox can help you get through the withdrawal symptoms and feel better faster than you would without treatment.
Flexeril withdrawal symptoms can become unpleasant as they progress. That can make it harder for you to avoid taking them just to get some relief. During detox, you may be placed on a medical taper. That means that you will be given smaller doses of Flexeril until you are no longer taking it at all. This can drastically reduce the severity of withdrawal. You may completely avoid some of the more common symptoms with this method as well.
Your medical team may prescribe other types of medications to help you with your withdrawal symptoms as well. For example, if you are having headaches or aches and pains, you may be given something that is non-addictive to help. If you are nauseous and/or vomiting, you may be given medication to help settle your stomach.
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Acute Back Pain May Benefit More From A Muscle Relaxant
While treating acute musculoskeletal back pain, a short course of muscle relaxants may be more effective when used as an adjunctive treatment in the first 3 weeks. They may also be used when back pain causes disturbed sleep .3
These drugs exert their muscle-relaxing effects by inhibiting nerve signals in the brain and spinal cord and may help break the pain-spasm-pain cycle, where pain causes your muscles to spasm as a protective response, and those spasms, in turn, cause more pain.3
See Common Uses for Treating Back and Neck Pain with Muscle Relaxers
Talk With Your Doctor
Its important to treat both spasticity and muscle spasms. Severe, long-term spasticity can lead to muscle contracture, which can decrease your range of motion or leave the affected joints permanently bent. And muscle spasms can not only be uncomfortable, they can also be a sign of an underlying medical problem.
Your muscle spasms or spasticity are likely treatable with rest, physical therapy, medications, or all of the above. Work with your doctor to put together a care plan that can ease your pain and get you moving comfortably again.
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The Mechanism By Using Flexeril
The mechanism means its working on the body to which it has been given. Every medication has a different form of working to which, for this Flexeril, It works through the central nervous system.
It has been observed that 5-HT2 receptors are connected with neuropsychiatric disorders. Disorders such as anxiety, depression, and stress could be found.
And Then Theres The Abuse
Theres also the problem of abuse. In a report in the journal Medical Care, researchers reviewed patterns of drug use in more than 150,000 Medicaid patients who had been prescribed opioids over a four-year period. More than 10% of the patients were taking what is colloquially referred to as the holy trinity, a combination of at least one opioid, muscle relaxants and anti-anxiety drugs. Those who took this drug mix were 12 times more likely to die from an opioid-related overdose compared to those who only took opioids.
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What Drugs Interact With Benzodiazepines And Cyclobenzaprine
Benzodiazepine drug interactions
Combining alcohol with a benzodiazepine is very dangerous. People who drink alcohol while taking this medicine will feel the effects of alcohol faster. It’s not safe to drink alcohol or take other drugs that have similar effects on the central nervous system at the same time because these drugs or substances interact with oral benzodiazepines by causing additional depression of the brain and respiratory depression.
Respiratory depression can lead to breathing that’s inadequate for supplying oxygen to the body. This can cause death. Examples of these drugs and products that increase sedative side effects or the risk of respiratory depression from benzodiazepines include the following.
Pain medications called opioids that also cause respiratory depression, for example:
- morphine
Why Do Doctors Prescribe Muscle Relaxers
While most doctors prescribe muscle relaxers to treat pain, they can be used for other reasons as well. But if you have been suffering from back pain, neck pain, or if you are having muscle spasms elsewhere in your body, a muscle relaxer may be prescribed for you to treat the problem.
When you have a muscle spasm, it means that one or more of your muscles is contracting. The twitching or cramping you feel can become uncomfortable and painful, and it is not something you have control over.
Your doctor may first suggest that you try an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with your pain. If they do not work, a muscle relaxer like Flexeril might be the next best option. They work best for acute pain, and if you are having trouble sleeping at night, a muscle relaxer can also help you get some much-needed rest.
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What Xanax Does To The Body
This drug works by increasing the effects of the brain chemical that promotes relaxation. Meanwhile, it decreases the brains level of excitement to deliver an overall calming sensation. Effects of Xanax kick in less than an hour after use and peak anywhere between one and two hours. Since it enters the body so quickly, it leaves the body rapidly as well. The half-life of Xanax is about 11-12 hours, which means that the body removes half of the Xanax it absorbs 11 ½ hours after using. Because of its fast-acting properties, Xanax may easily lead to misuse, recreational use, dependence, and addiction.
The side effects of Xanax are most prominent when an individual first starts using it or when they increase their dosage. Side effects of Xanax typically include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating
- Swelling of hands and feet
While these side effects are uncomfortable, they should not be dangerous or life threatening. If side effects last for more than a few weeks, its recommended to contact your doctor.