Muscle cramp is a very common health condition in individuals which can be caused due to infection, dehydration, injury, health problems, etc. This causes stress and tension in the muscles due to which achiness and soreness occur. This pain can be varied from mild to adverse. This pain can be reduced by using some medicines which are used to treat muscle pain. There are two muscle relaxants namely Soma and Flexeril. Today this blog gives you a detailed analysis of Soma vs Flexeril drugs.
If you are experiencing any kind of nerve-related muscle pain then in this blog, you will know every detail about these two medicines, their mechanism of action, uses, dosage strengths, similarities, differences, side effects, and safety measures.
What is Soma?
It is a branded drug that is sanctioned to reduce discomfort caused by muscle cramps in adults. Carisoprodol is responsible for the therapeutic effect of the medication and it also acts as a generic variant. There is a high chance to be abused and misused so, this medicine is classified as a controlled substance of Schedule IV.
Mechanism of Action of Soma:
The medicinal active substance has the same structure as meprobamate. It has calming properties that work on the GABA receptor like benzodiazepines. Soma blocks neuronal activity in the brain and the spinal cord. So, this is how it helps to reduce musculoskeletal pain.
What is Flexeril?
It is legalized by the US FDA as a branded medication to treat muscle spasms in a person. Cyclobenzaprine HCl is used as an active salt in this product which causes pharmacological effects. It is not an opioid so not considered a controlled substance.
Mechanism of Action Flexeril:
It helps in relaxing muscles which works on the central nervous system of the brain without disturbing the function of the muscles. The medicine comprises Cyclobenzaprine which is a 5-HT-2 receptor antagonist and it also has an antispasmodic effect. This is how it helps to get relief from the muscle spasm.
Similarities Between Flexeril & Soma:
1) Both medications are used to treat muscle spasms for a short duration.
2) These are permitted by the US FDA.
3) Both are prescribed drugs.
4) Both drugs act as muscle relaxers to alleviate acute musculoskeletal conditions.
5) Rest and physical therapy is beneficial along with medicines.
Differences Between Soma vs Flexeril:
1) Active Substance
- Flexeril – Cyclobenzaprine
- Soma – Carisoprodol
2) Dose & Dosage Strength
The dosage strength of these drugs are decided by a doctor after examining the patient’s medical condition, age and severity of the cramps. The dose can be altered after getting effective results of the medicinal products.
Soma:-
It comes in the form of oral tablet and its dosage strengths are as follows-
Suggested medicinal dosage can be consumed thrice a day, during bedtime.
Flexeril
Its forms and medicinal strengths are as follows:-
Immediate-Release Tablet
- 5 mg
- 7.5 mg
- 10 mg
Extended-Release Capsule
- 15 mg
- 30 mg
Its ER capsule can be taken at the same time thrice a day.
3) Uses: Soma vs Flexeril
- Soma Approved Use
Musculoskeletal Condition:- It is allowed to treat the painful conditions in which there is pain in muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and bones. Physical therapy and rest are important to increase the drug’s efficacy.
- Unapproved Uses of Soma
Fibromyalgia:- It is a health condition in which muscle pain gets spread on the whole body.
- Approved Use of Flexeril
Musculoskeletal Condition:- The medicine is helpful in treating the pain in joints, muscles, tendons, bones and ligaments. Rest and physical therapy can be added to get relief from muscle pain.
- Over-the-counter Uses
Fibromyalgia:- The medicine helps to reduce discomfort and muscle pain all over the body.
Myofascial Pain:- It is an orofacial pain that occurs in the temporomandibular joint. It causes pain in the neck, shoulder, and jaw due to muscle stiffness and fatigue.
PTSD:- It is related to mental health in which a person experiences a terrifying event. These can be triggered with flashbacks, memories, etc.
Improve Sleep:- The medicine is used off-label to improve sleeping problem.
4) Half-life
Flexeril- The medicine shows its effect within 1 hour and its half-life is 18 hours.
Soma- It shows its effect within half an hour and its half-life is 2.5 hours.
These are time duration which are taken by the active ingredients of these medicines to get reduced by half.
Side Effects of Soma and Flexeril Drug:
Common Side Effects of Both muscle relaxers are-
- Feeling faint
- Headache
- Extreme sleepiness
- Nausea (with Flexeril)
- Stomach upset (with Flexeril)
- Dry mouth (with Flexeril)
- Constipation (with Flexeril)
Serious Side Effects of Both Drugs
- Hallucination
- Nausea
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Tightness in the muscles
- Restlessness (agitation)
- Lack of coordination
- High body temperature
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Allergic reactions causes trouble breathing and swelling in the lips, tongue, face and throat
- Shivering
- Seizures (with Soma)
Other Serious Side Effects of Flexeril
- Numbness on one side of the body
- Pain in the chest which travels to the jaw and shoulder
- Weakness in the muscles which is used for speech or slurred speech
Safety Measures:
- You should not crush or chew a capsule or tablet because it may alter its absorption in the body.
- Share the medical history with a doctor before starting any kind of treatment.
- The drinking of alcohol is not considered while taking medicines, it may increase dizziness and drowsiness.
- If you are allergic to these salt compositions that are used in the medications then use of these medicinal products should be stopped immediately.
- Each drug cannot be used with other medications simultaneously because it may cause drug interactions.
- Never use these drugs without getting a prescription from a healthcare provider.
Conclusion:
Finally, now you can compare these medicinal products (Soma vs Flexeril) on the basis of their uses, side effects, resemblance, distinctions, etc.
I hope after reading this blog, you get to know how these two drugs help to treat painful musculoskeletal conditions which cause discomfort and pain in the muscles. It is written only to provide medical information about these products, so always consult a medical expert before starting these medicines.
