29 jun Muscle Relaxers and Alcohol: Risks & Treatment

Even mixing a muscle relaxer with wine can strain the liver and increase addiction risk. It’s generally advised to avoid this combination or consult a healthcare provider to understand specific risks. Mixing alcohol and muscle relaxers can also increase a person’s chances of making poor decisions and reckless behavior, such as driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Taking both substances together also significantly slows breathing, which can lead to brain damage, respiratory depression, and even death. Addiction is also one of the most common effects of mixing muscle relaxers and alcohol.

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• The ability of these drugs to depress the central nervous system can lead to the inability to think clearly.
• This means that the side effects of muscle relaxers, such as drowsiness or dizziness, can be intensified when you drink alcohol.
• As alcohol continues to enter the bloodstream, it begins to have other effects on the body.
• However, the exact duration will vary depending on factors such as age, weight, metabolism, and overall health.

Call now to talk with a treatment specialist about your recovery options. Reframe supports you in reducing alcohol consumption and enhancing your well-being. Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology.

Muscle relaxers help to relieve this pain by relaxing the muscle and preventing these spasms from occurring. It’s paramount to recognize that we owe it to ourselves, our body, and our overall well-being to make informed, healthy decisions. If you or someone you love is misusing alcohol or prescription drugs, it’s important to get help before they suffer the consequences of a harmful interaction. Muscle relaxers are effective for pain relief caused by certain conditions, but taking them with alcohol could lead to dangerous side effects. The ability of these drugs to depress the central nervous system can lead to the inability to think clearly.

This is because they both can cause lethargy, confusion, and poor coordination. Many people abuse substances to feel “high.” This can be especially true for people who abuse alcohol and muscle relaxers. Some people may drink alcohol or use muscle relaxers in an attempt to alleviate negative feelings, such as stress or sadness. The side effects of this drug should make it clear why someone should not mix alcohol and muscle relaxers. 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.

When alcohol and muscle relaxers are mixed together, the effects can be quite dangerous. When a person takes alcohol and muscle relaxers together, the effects of these drugs become even stronger. There are several reasons why people might mix muscle relaxers and alcohol, although it is never advisable.

Dangers of Mixing Alcohol & Muscle Relaxers

Inpatient programs require a person to stay at a facility for a period of time, while outpatient programs allow a person to live at home while attending. You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance. Muscle relaxers may also be used in conjunction with techniques like physical therapy, due to their side effects and risks.

Common Questions

• If you are struggling to stop abusing alcohol and muscle relaxers at the same time, help is available.
• Fatal conditions are a major concern when it comes to mixing alcohol and muscle relaxers.
• When substances like alcohol and muscle relaxers are consumed together, they can profoundly depress the CNS, which is why mixing these substances can lead to dangerous outcomes.
• Even mixing a muscle relaxer with wine can strain the liver and increase addiction risk.
• Don’t use aspirin and an NSAID together, unless approved by your doctor.

However, when taken with or in close proximity to alcohol or other drugs, muscle relaxants can have dangerous, and sometimes deadly, effects. It’s important to ask your doctor if there is anything you should avoid consuming when placed on a new prescription. The easiest way to avoid harmful drug interactions is to be informed and cautious before drinking alcohol with any prescription medication.

The Dangers of Mixing Muscle Relaxers and Alcohol

It works on the CNS by slowing it down to block the effects of histamine, a chemical released by the immune system that causes allergy symptoms. However, this depression of the CNS may result in drowsiness, sedation, and lack of mental alertness. When consumed together, the effects of these two substances are amplified, leading to extreme drowsiness, loss of motor skills, confusion, and dangerously slowed breathing.

What about muscle relaxers for alcohol withdrawal?

Another person recounted a more troubling experience, where the combination led to severe drowsiness and confusion. It goes to show how muscle relaxers and alcohol can unpredictably amplify one another, often leading to adverse reactions. Hearing about the impacts from others can lend invaluable insight into this risky mix. In the short term, there are many concerning effects of mixing these two drugs. Coordination and motor impairment are among the chief concerns when it comes to the dangers of mixing these two substances.

Chlorzoxazone is a muscle relaxer that is used to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as pain or injury. Mixing chlorzoxazone with alcohol can potentiate these effects and lead to impaired coordination, blackouts, and difficulty breathing. Additionally, because both muscle relaxers and alcohol are central nervous system depressants, mixing them can lead to a decreased ability to think clearly and make decisions.

All of these effects make it dangerous to operate machinery or drive a car. Poor vision and confusion are also a risk for people who mix alcohol and muscle relaxers. Alcohol should be avoided if you are under treatment with a centrally-acting muscle relaxant (like cyclobenzaprine, baclofen, methocarbamol or tizanidine). When muscle relaxants are combined with alcohol (ethanol), side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, and errors in judgement can occur. Driving or other hazardous activities may be more dangerous and should be avoided. Read on to learn more about muscle relaxers and why they don’t mix with alcohol.

Here’s what you need to know about alcohol use, muscle relaxers, and substance use treatment. No, drinking alcohol with tizanidine is not recommended because it can enhance drowsiness and dizziness, increasing the risk of accidents and respiratory depression. Avoid combining muscle relaxers with alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, or other central nervous system depressants.

Individuals may experience impaired 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. This can alter perception, can you mix alcohol and muscle relaxers behavior, and movement in potentially dangerous ways. While alcohol’s effects may be desirable in some situations, they can be dangerous in others. As alcohol continues to enter the bloodstream, it begins to have other effects on the body. Muscle coordination becomes impaired, which is why people are unable to drive or operate machinery while under the influence of alcohol.

If you combine muscle relaxants with alcohol, feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and drowsiness will increase. People may continue mixing the substances after accidentally or intentionally discovering the enhanced effect it causes. While muscle relaxers are important for people suffering from these types of muscle pain, they can also be addictive. As a result, if you are currently prescribed a muscle relaxant you must never take more than your recommended dosage. Motor impairment also makes it very dangerous to operate heavy machinery or a vehicle. When used properly, under caution, and as prescribed by a doctor, muscle relaxants are typically safe.