JAMA Netw Open

Muscle relaxants a mixed bag for chronic pain relief

September 26, 2024

Long-term use of skeletal muscle relaxants (SMRs) may be beneficial for managing painful spasms, cramps, and neck pain, but appears to offer limited benefits for other chronic pain conditions such as low back pain and fibromyalgia.

• This systematic review included 30 randomized trials (n=1,314) and 14 cohort studies (n=1,168) that assessed SMRs for chronic pain. Investigators characterized studies by chronic pain syndrome: low back pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, painful cramps or spasticity, and other syndromes.
• Evidence for SMRs' efficacy was strongest for trigeminal neuralgia, neck pain, and painful cramps.
• SMRs weren't significantly more effective than placebo for conditions like fibromyalgia and low back pain, with common side effects including sedation and dry mouth.

Source:

Oldfield BJ, et al. (2024, September 3). JAMA Netw Open. Long-Term Use of Muscle Relaxant Medications for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39298168/