Highest-Rated Muscle Relaxants for Back & Neck Pain
Muscle pain and spasms often pop up out of the blue, and can seem to linger for far too long, making everyday activities difficult and sometimes even unbearable. Without the help of pain management medications, working through muscle discomfort can become debilitating. When muscle pain, commonly in the back or neck, arises and over-the-counter solutions just aren’t providing enough relief, it’s important to know what prescription muscle relaxant options are available to you.
How do I know if I need a prescription muscle relaxant?
When muscle pain occurs, it’s common for sufferers to grab over-the-counter solutions such as acetaminophen and anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen. Others might try natural remedies like topical creams with arnica and cooling gels. While these are all proven to treat muscle pain, unfortunately these drugstore options can still leave you with serious and long-lasting muscle pain.
If you’re experiencing severe muscle aches and pains and not finding relief from over-the-counter solutions, seek some medical guidance from your doctor and see what prescription muscle relaxant options are available to you.
Are there risks to taking muscle relaxers?
Like most prescriptions, muscle relaxers come with their own set of side effects and risks. Always discuss your medical history and any other medications you take with your healthcare provider before taking prescription muscle relaxants. Common side effects to prescription muscle relaxers include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Low blood pressure
It’s recommended to not partake in activities such as drinking alcohol, driving, and operating machinery when taking muscle relaxants. Some prescription muscle relaxants act as tranquilizers and thus can impair thinking and motor skills.
Additionally, muscle relaxers have the potential to be addicting for some individuals. Be sure to talk to your doctor and be aware of these risks when taking prescription muscle relaxers. While these prescriptions can provide relief to intense muscle pain, the side effects in some cases can negatively affect healing.
What are the top prescription muscle relaxers?
Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine)
Flexeril, or cyclobenzaprine, is one of the more common muscle relaxers for short-term muscle pain relief. Cyclobenzaprine is taken daily for up to three weeks and is best for muscle spasms, strains, and sprains. This prescription has shown to cause addiction, so cyclobenzaprine should only be taken in short term doses.
Valium (diazepam)
You may be familiar with diazepam due to its success with treating anxiety and seizures, but many don’t know that diazepam is a trusted solution for muscle spasms. Just like diazepam calms the brain, it also calms the nerves that may be causing muscle pain and discomfort. Side effects of this medication include drowsiness, tiredness, and blurred vision, which all are worsened with the use of alcohol or marijuana.
Robaxin (methocarbamol)
Like Flexeril, Robaxin is used to treat severe neck and back pain. A typical prescription is for 7-10 days, with more than 40% of patients reporting their muscle pain subsided by day 8. Methocarbamol can be administered either orally or by intravenous.
Skelaxin (metaxalone)
Metaxalone is another oral pain management medication used to treat muscle spasms. This is usually prescribed along with physical therapy to ensure the best results. Side effects of metaxalone include upset stomach, nausea, and drowsiness.
Soma (carisoprodol)
Carisoprodol is generally used for muscle pain and discomfort. Carisoprodol has been shown to cause reactions for patients who are allergic to meprobamate, tybamate, or mebutamate. If you’re allergic to any of these medications, carisoprodol may not be right for you. Carisoprodol is administered orally 3 times per day and is a short term medication lasting about 3 weeks.
Lioresal (baclofen)
Baclofen is primarily used to treat continuous muscle tightness or stiffness, also known as spasticity, caused by multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury. This medication can be prescribed orally or by injection and dosage is built over the span of multiple days for optimal efficacy. While this medication falls within muscle relaxers for treating tightness and stiffness, it may not be the best for pain management.
Norflex (orphenadrine)
Orphenadrine is another multipurpose medication, treating both injury-related pain and spasms and relieving the trembling from Parkinson’s disease. Orphenadrine is also known to cause anaphylactic allergic reactions, so it’s important to discuss with your doctor if Norflex is the best pain management medication for you.
Dantrium (dantrolene)
Dantrolene is primarily used to treat spasticity. It’s effective for spasms associated with spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. Common side effects include diarrhea, drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, and muscle weakness. People considering this medication should have their liver function evaluated by a doctor as this medication can cause liver damage.
Save on Prescription Muscle Relaxants
With the number of options available, finding the right prescription muscle relaxant for your muscle aches and pains can seem overwhelming. But with the help of your doctor, finding the perfect fit for your specific pain management needs can be easy. To save on your prescription costs, visit America’s Pharmacy to search for the lowest cost prescriptions in your area, for discount prescription cards and free prescription coupons.
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