Most important facts about Flexeril

Flexeril is a drug used to treat tension in the major groupings of muscles. It works directly on the central nervous system and alters the messages sent by the brain to the muscles. Instead of tensing or spasming, the drug allows the muscles to relax. This is useful in the case of acute injuries while the body heals, but its use needs careful monitoring and control.

When the body is injured, the muscles are designed to tense up to prevent sudden movement that can aggravate the injury. This is an advantage when movement might open a wound or further tear bruised or damaged muscles. A side effect of this tensing is often an increase in the level of pain, for example in whiplash injuries. So using Flexeril produces pain relief by relaxing the muscles. That said, this might encourage more movement which produces the feared aggravation of the injury. Hence, Flexeril should be combined with rest and physical therapy to slowly ease the body back into motion in a controlled way.

One reason why its use is more safe than this description might suggest is that Flexeril also acts as a sedative. Many people who take this drug at night find they are able to sleep through the night without being disturbed by tension pain or spasms. It has some of the characteristics of an antidepressant and some people use Flexeril as an aid to sleep.

Flexeril is less successful when used in the treatment of chronic injuries or diseases. Although it is sometimes prescribed for the relief of pain associated with fibromyalgia and sciatica, it is best used in short bursts of two to three weeks. There is little evidence from clinical trials showing this drug effective when used over longer periods of time. There are often different (and usually better) ways of treating the symptoms of a chronic disorder or disease. Note that Flexeril does not work when the muscle problems are caused by a disease to the central nervous system itself.