Are Muscle Relaxers Addictive? What to Know About These Powerful Medications

While muscle relaxers are not usually thought of as addictive medications, many of the commonly prescribed medications can be. Carisoprodol and diazepam are muscle relaxers that are controlled substances with a high potential for dependence, misuse, or addiction.

Other muscle relaxants, such as cyclobenzaprine, are associated with a range of additional adverse side effects. So, are muscle relaxers addictive? Yes, they can be. As a result, it is essential to understand the risks and how to use them safely.

What Are Muscle Relaxers?

Muscle relaxers are a type of medication prescribed to alleviate muscle pain. These medications specifically target pain caused by muscle spasms or muscle spasticity, characterized by stiff and rigid muscles.[1]

There are many different types of muscle relaxers. These drugs can either work on the muscle fibers in the body or block pain receptors in the brain and spinal cord. In the United States, all muscle relaxers are available as prescription medications and cannot be purchased over the counter.

Conditions Treated By Muscle Relaxers

Different muscle relaxers can be used to treat several serious diseases or acute pain, including:

• Back pain
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Low back pain
• Muscle pain
• Spasms
• Spasticity caused by Cerebral Palsy
• Fibromyalgia

Muscle relaxers are recommended for short-term use, in addition to treatments such as physical therapy.[2] If you suffer from chronic pain, it’s best to seek professional help instead of relying on muscle relaxers.

Types of Muscle Relaxers and Risks of Addiction Potential

There are various types of medications used as muscle relaxants. These include medications that target the muscles directly, including antispasmodic and antispastic skeletal muscle relaxants. They also include central nervous system (CNS) depressants.

Antispastic and Antispasmodic Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

There is a slight difference between antispasmodic and antispastic muscle relaxants.  Antispasmodic medications are used to help alleviate muscle pain caused by involuntary jerks and stiffness.[3]

This is common in conditions like cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. Even spinal cord injuries can lead to involuntary movements, which require antispastic medications.

Antispastic muscle relaxer medications include:

• Baclofen (Lioresal)
• Tizanidine (Zanaflex)
• Dantrolene (Dantrium, Revonto, Ryanodex)

In contrast, antispasmodic medications are used to treat musculoskeletal conditions. These antispasmodics can reduce muscle spasms in the short term.[4] While the exact mechanism is unknown, the working theory is that they work similarly to central nervous system depressants, slowing down nervous system functions. It is this effect that can influence the potential for dependence and fuel the cycle of muscle relaxer addiction.

Antispasmodic medications include:

• Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril, Amrix)
• Metaxalone (Skelaxin)
• Methocarbamol (Robaxin)
• Carisoprodol (Soma)
• Diazepam (Valium)

Of all muscle relaxants, those that pose the most concern include cyclobenzaprine, carisoprodol, and benzodiazepines. These drugs have both anecdotal and non-anecdotal evidence that suggests they can be addictive.

Cyclobenzaprine

Cyclobenzaprine, also known as Flexeril or Amrix, is a CNS depressant. It is commonly prescribed to treat issues like pain and muscle spasms. However, the DEA reports that some people might be taking cyclobenzaprine alone or in combination with other illicit drugs, thereby increasing the risk of dependence, misuse, and addiction.[5]

Doing so produces a psychoactive effect. It can also lead to feelings of sedation, relaxation, and euphoria. While the DEA hasn’t made Flexeril a controlled substance, it’s important to know about its potential for abuse.

Carisoprodol

Carisoprodol is perhaps the most concerning muscle relaxant linked to dependence and addiction. Known as Soma, research has shown that this drug is addictive as its effects are short-lived, leading to misuse, tolerance, and ultimately dependence. [6]

Soma is also a Schedule IV controlled substance. Stopping Carisoprodol suddenly can lead to withdrawal symptoms. In addition, some of the many negative side effects of Ciarosprodol include:[7]

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Vertigo
• Tremor
• Agitation
• Irritability
• Low blood pressure
• Extreme weakness
• Confusion
• Shock
• Respiratory depression

In short, Carisoprodol is not only addictive but highly dangerous. If you’re using this as a muscle relaxer, use it for no more than 3 weeks or as recommended by your doctor.

Benzodiazepines

Though this is not their FDA-approved application, some benzodiazepines are used as muscle relaxants and can help reduce muscle spasms. These include drugs like:

• Diazepam (Valium)
• Alprazolam (Xanax)
• lorazepam (Ativan)

Unfortunately, research indicates that these medications may not be effective in treating muscle pain and can lead to side effects like dizziness and drowsiness.[8]

Research shows that for some people, benzodiazepines are also linked to misuse and addiction.[9] This is especially true for addressing mental health issues like anxiety, treating off-label conditions like chronic pain, or taking them with other substances like alcohol or opioids.

What Are the Risks of Using Muscle Relaxers?

Not all prescription muscle relaxers carry the same level of risk.[10] Some have uncomfortable side effects, such as dizziness and sedative effects. Others carry the risk of physical dependence, meaning they can lead to misuse and addiction.[11]

While each medication is different, common side effects of muscle relaxers include:[12]

• Dry mouth
• Drowsiness
• Extreme tiredness
• Nervousness
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Slow or fast heartbeat

Most of these side effects won’t impact people who use muscle relaxers short-term. However, research shows that long-term use of muscle relaxers has continued to increase.[13]

Long-term use of muscle relaxers can be dangerous, especially when combined with other medications like benzodiazepines and opioids. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against combining muscle relaxers with these drugs. Doing so can lead to serious issues, including:[14]

• Unusual dizziness or lightheadedness
• Extreme drowsiness
• Slowed or difficult breathing
• Unresponsiveness

If you notice any of these issues in yourself or a loved one, seek help immediately. You can also contact your healthcare provider for further questions or if you experience any changes in your medication.

Using Muscle Relaxers Safely

By far, the best way to prevent issues from muscle relaxers is to create a treatment plan with your doctor. They can help adjust your doses, recommend different types of medications, and enroll you in addiction treatment if necessary.

Here are some tips to help you use muscle relaxers safely:

• Don’t take more than prescribed. If you feel your muscle relaxant isn’t working to alleviate your symptoms, don’t use higher doses. Tell your doctor.
• Don’t stop taking your medication suddenly. Certain muscle relaxers, like Tizanidine, can cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop using them.[15] It’s better to taper off instead, which you can do with help from your doctor.
• Never mix with other medications. If you’re not sure about whether a medication you’re taking will interact with your muscle relaxer, tell your doctor. They can provide you with advice on which substances to avoid.
• Never mix with alcohol. Diazepam, Flexeril, and Soma are some of the many medications that can interact with alcohol.[16] Never mix alcohol with muscle relaxers without telling your provider first.
• Get help for cravings. If you feel you’re experiencing cravings or at risk of muscle relaxer abuse, tell your doctor. They can refer you to a substance abuse treatment program if necessary.

What Are Some Signs Of Muscle Relaxer Drug Addiction?

Muscle relaxer abuse can lead to issues like sedative use disorder or drug use disorder.[17] Some common signs that you or a loved one might be struggling with muscle relaxer abuse and addiction include:[18]

• Taking more muscle relaxers in bigger amounts or for longer than you intended
• You have a persistent desire or can’t successfully cut down on using muscle relaxers
• Craving these drugs
• Spending too much time obtaining, using, or recovering from muscle relaxers
• Not being able to keep up with work, home, or school because of these drugs
• Tolerance, or needing more of the drug to have the same effect
• Withdrawal symptoms when you stop using these drugs

If you feel you or a loved one is addicted to muscle relaxers, it’s never too late or too early to get help. The sooner you can get help from a treatment center, the sooner you can begin to recover from muscle relaxer addiction.

Learn to Cope With Pain Without Harmful Drug Abuse

If you’re one of the 50 million Americans living with chronic pain, know that there is hope for recovery.[19] Through effective treatment options like cognitive-behavioral therapy, inpatient treatment, outpatient care, and addiction services, you can learn to cope with chronic pain without abusing muscle relaxers. However, it’s important to know that

Frequently Asked Questions About Muscle Relaxers