Muscle relaxants are used to alleviate the muscle stiffness that people experience because of desk jobs, extreme sports, fitness activities or even neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy.
They provide relief by working on the nerves that connect the nervous system to the muscles.
Muscle relaxants are not the first choice for pain relief. Doctors say they are given as adjuncts to relax the muscle while painkillers are given to manage the pain.
Muscle relaxants cause a sedative effect. So, they should be taken under prescription and for the prescribed period only.
Because of their sedative effect, it is important not to drive or consume alcohol after taking muscle relaxants.
Using muscle relaxants for long periods can damage the liver and kidneys, and cause side-effects such as dizziness, vomiting, dryness of mouth and diarrhea.
Muscle relaxants tend to create dependency, weaken the muscles over time and do not solve the root cause of the stiffness.