The investigators found that the studies reviewed contained evidence that was either insufficient or of poor quality. At North Jersey Recovery Center, we strive to make your addiction treatment experience as comfortable as possible. In 2019, of the 85,688 liver disease deaths among individuals ages 12 and older, 43.1% involved alcohol.

Muscle relaxers can make it challenging for a person to stay alert and think coherently, resulting in impairments to thought processes and decision-making capabilities. When used as directed by a physician, muscle relaxers are generally considered safe. However, when used in combination with alcohol or other drugs, they can have hazardous and sometimes life-threatening effects. Muscle relaxers are prescription medications that affect muscle function and decrease muscle tone. They may be used to relieve symptoms such as muscle spasms and pain, and to reduce muscle contractions in a variety of neurological conditions.

Common side effects include headache, dizziness, flushing, nausea, and blurred vision. Methocarbamol is generally not recommended for individuals with renal disease or failure. Muscle relaxers are not a class of drugs—meaning they do not all have the same chemical structure or work the same way in the brain. Instead, the term muscle relaxer describes a group of drugs that act as central nervous system depressants and have musculoskeletal relaxant and sedative properties.

The Dangers of Mixing Alcohol & Muscle Relaxers

Instead, they are most beneficial when used for acute injuries. Flexeril is a muscle relaxer that works by blocking pain sensations sent to the brain. Flexeril is used to treat musculoskeletal conditions, including pain, injury, or spasms.

On their own, this drug produces many side effects that affect a person’s ability to function. When alcohol is added to the mix, these side effects become even more pronounced, potentially leading to serious health problems. Alcohol also has sedative effects which may cause motor impairment leading to accidents and injuries.

Since Flexeril suppresses the central nervous system, some individuals find its effects desirable and use it improperly. Individuals may abuse will beer cause acid reflux Flexeril to feel relaxed, mildly euphoric, or sedated. When consumed in high quantities, Flexeril alters brain neurotransmitter activity.

Those who have co-occurring mental health issues and substance use problems may be at a greater risk of engaging in polysubstance abuse. Substance abuse frequently exacerbates the symptoms of mental health issues, and mental health issues can likewise result in worsened substance abuse. When multiple substances are abused, lamictal and alcohol all of their consequences are magnified. The effects of muscle relaxers are caused by depression of the CNS and reduction of activity in the muscles. Muscle relaxers are not the preferred method for treating chronic disorders, such as low-back pain, due to their potential for misuse, dependence, and side effects.

Muscle Relaxers And Alcohol

Mixing these two substances can cause serious health complications, including coma and death. People tend to mix alcohol and other substances for the combined effect of euphoria or disassociation. A person can self-medicate and become addicted if their patterns don’t change.

This can cause a person to stumble and fall, especially when compounded by the dizziness and impaired vision which may be present from each drug. The head injuries which result from this could be grave, even to the point of being lethal. Some women who mix muscle relaxers with alcohol may do so by mistake. If you’re taking a muscle relaxer for pain relief, it may not occur to you that alcohol could interact with the medication. Or, you may be unaware that your alcohol consumption is putting you at risk for dangerous side effects. For women, there is often an added layer of complexity when it comes to polysubstance abuse.

• It is taken by mouth in tablet form and is also available in combination with aspirin, aspirin, and codeine.
• The dangers linked to this drug’s use may unknowingly occur to the users who consume one drug near the dose of the other.
• It’s much easier to accidentally overdose because they both stay in your system much longer.
• Take note that intense sedation and severe side effects like respiratory depression are results of overdose due to this interaction of alcohol and muscle relaxers.
• If you struggle with muscle relaxers and alcohol abuse, it’s crucial to assess all the symptoms accurately.
• It is also easy to fall and hurt yourself if you are not careful.

This is because both muscle relaxers and alcohol can cause lethargy, confusion, and poor coordination. The combination of a muscle relaxant and alcohol can make the effects of muscle relaxers more intense — and not in a good way. This can lead to potentially dangerous symptoms, such as an increased risk of overdose. Mixing muscle relaxers and alcohol is a potent combination that can produce extreme sedation, decreased cognitive abilities, impaired motor functioning, accidental death, and addiction. A comprehensive inpatient treatment program should be sought to alleviate these risks if a person is addicted to one or both muscle relaxers and alcohol.

Can You Become Addicted to Flexeril?

We can help you or your loved one overcome a substance use disorder. The ability of these drugs to depress the central nervous system can lead to the inability to think clearly. Individuals may experience impaired alcohol withdrawal scale aws judgment, dangerous mood swings, and even aggressive behaviors. Importantly, alcohol is a powerful nervous system depressant, which means that it slows down activity in the brain and central nervous system.

Mixing alcohol with Flexeril and alcohol can be dangerous or even deadly. Both Flexeril and alcohol depress the central nervous system and, when combined, may enhance each other’s effects. This can result in symptoms like severe sedation or drowsiness and may increase the risk of an accident.

Mixing Muscle Relaxers and Alcohol for Chronic Pain

Most muscle relaxers last around four to six hours, so the medication will still be in their system even if a person starts drinking several hours after they take their dose. Muscle relaxants, especially benzodiazepines, are addictive substances. When these two are mixed, the risk of addiction can be increased. In this section, side effects that may arise from alcohol-muscle relaxant interactions will be discussed.

Mixing the two substances can amplify these effects and make it difficult to think clearly or move correctly. As a result, people who mix muscle relaxers and alcohol are at an increased risk for falls, car accidents, and other injuries. Poor vision due to these two substances also contributes to the increased risk of accidents. Mixing muscle relaxers and alcohol magnifies the side effects and may promote more use.

After you are finished in detox, it is possible you will be recommended for inpatient treatment. Polydrug use often includes a strong component of psychological therapy. When alcohol and cyclobenzaprine have been abused together, you probably will need to participate in behavioral therapies and group therapy programs, like the 12-step programs. While you are in detox, you may be given other medications to ease the withdrawal symptoms and perhaps, fluids to help keep you hydrated. The attentive medical and addiction care teams at your treatment facility are there to help you through this physically and mentally challenging time.

It can cause drowsiness and dizziness and isn’t recommended for long-term use or by those with a history of addiction. Doctors also warn people of the dangers of combining this medication with alcohol. The dangers linked to alcohol muscle relaxer combo may occur unknowingly, as a person consumes one drug close to the dose of the other. This may happen when a person takes the muscle relaxant as prescribed and drinks with it .

The Dangers of Mixing Muscle Relaxers and Alcohol

As an individual experiences intense or uncomfortable withdrawals, an individual is able to be provided with medications. With alcohol addiction, it is important for an individual to receive the proper treatment to overcome addiction. As the body becomes dependent upon alcohol, they require alcohol to properly function. Alcohol is the most commonly used substance yet the overdose symptoms are often overlooked. It is important to know the alcohol overdose symptoms so as to best avoid dangerous situations.

Dantrolene is taken as an intravenous powder for injection or capsule. It can cause severe liver problems and should not be taken by individuals with active liver disease. Antispasmodics— also known as centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants – relieve muscle spasms. The addiction treatment process will start with a drug detoxification program to allow an individual to cleanse their body from the drug. This allows an individual to start addiction treatment without dependence upon that drug. The leading addiction treatment facility in Maine and beyond by offering individualized treatment programs, evidence-based therapies, and holistic approaches to care.