When a person suffers from pain or cramping in his muscles, his physician may prescribe a muscle relaxing medication rather than a direct pain reliever. These types of drugs typically work upon the central nervous system to make the muscles less...
Muscle relaxers can be useful to treat various ailments including back and muscle injuries. Taking oral medication means that the drug is circulated throughout your body, not just to the site of injury. These medications can affect your body in...
Muscle relaxers are prescribed to relieve muscle spasm and muscle pain. Specifically, doctors often prescribe muscle relaxers to treat low back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, tension headaches and other pain syndromes. Muscle relaxers are...
Almost 80 percent of all people will experience back pain at some point in their life, according to the American Chiropractic Association. It is the fifth most common cause for visits to the doctor. Most of these cases of back pain will be...
The skeletal system supports the human body, protects the body's vital organs, gives the basis for movement, provides the site for the development of various blood cells and stores minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. There are 33...
The diaphragm is the muscle that separates the abdomen from the chest and aids breathing. A hiccup is a rhythmic spasm of the diaphragm. As the contraction occurs in the diaphragm, the vocal cords close suddenly and make the classic hiccup sound....
Your body depends on the work of involuntary muscles (such as your heart) and voluntary muscles (such as the major skeletal muscles in your arms and legs) to perform the mechanical actions of your body. When using a muscle relaxant, the medication...
TMJ, or Temporo-Mandibular Joint Disorders, is a class of disorders that affect the jawbone, according to the TMJ Association. They affect jaw movement and the muscles and surrounding tissues of the jaw. TMJ causes several other symptoms that may...
Skeletal muscles most commonly spasm in response to an acute injury or as a consequence of misuse or overuse. They can also occur as a side effect of prescribed medications and as a result of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral...
Muscle spasms or cramps are a painful condition that occurs when a muscle contracts involuntarily. They usually do not last long, but they can be severe. Muscle spasms can be caused by overexercise or staying in one position for too long, or may...
Pregnancy may cause acid reflux disease, especially in the final trimester when the fetus is placing pressure on the stomach. The majority of pregnancy-induced reflux cases end when the baby is born, or soon after birth. Bending forward can cause...
Tension headaches, or stress headaches, are the most common type of headache and affect 30 to 80 percent of people in the United States. Women experience them twice as often as men. Tension headache symptoms include a constant dull ache on both...
A muscle spasm is an uncontrolled muscle contraction that makes your muscle feel tight and stiff. Muscle spasms can be extremely painful. While most people associate muscle spasms with injuries like car accidents, hard falls or heavy lifting,...
Sciatica is the medical term used for pain associated with the sciatic nerve. This nerve, the Mayo Clinic reports, is by far the longest of your nerves. It stretches from the spinal column to the area of your hips and buttocks, then proceeds down...
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) causes pain and makes it difficult to use your jaw. It can hinder your ability to talk, eat and in some cases breathe as it affects the muscles that control the jaw. In some cases, the pain is temporary and...
Hormonal contraceptives for birth control can have other positive physiological effects other than just preventing pregnancy in sexually active women. Because of the possible positive effects of oral contraceptives, some girls and women who may...
Magnesium is a vital mineral necessary for proper bodily function. While there is no known risk of consuming too much dietary magnesium, magnesium toxicity can result from taking large doses of supplements or medications such as laxatives and...
The spine is made up of bones called vertebrae and soft intervertebral disks that separate the bony vertebrae. A herniated disk is a condition that occurs when the disk ruptures or becomes out of place according to MedlinePlus. If the disk...
Perhaps one of the most common natural bodily functions that a person can experience, hiccups have been known to also be quite the annoyance. Many different home remedies and urban legends exist regarding possible cures for hiccups, which are...
Cyclobenzaprine is a prescription medication indicated to help relax tense, painful muscles following injuries, such as muscle sprains or strains. This medication is administered orally up to four times daily or as prescribed by a medical...
If you have a problem such as a herniated disc in your spinal column, it may put pressure on your sciatic nerve. This nerve connects your spine down through your body from the lower back to your feet at the rear of your legs. Sciatica is the...
Muscle knots, also referred to as myofascial trigger points, are described as abnormal areas in the muscle, according to Seth Rosenbaum, M.D. Muscle knots often form when the muscle is experiencing a spasm. A muscle spasm occurs when a muscle is...
Soma, the brand name for the medication carisoprodol, is a skeletal muscle relaxant. The medication treats muscle pain caused by conditions such as sprains and strains. Soma, typically used in conjunction with resting the affected muscle and...
Muscle tension is best defined as a muscle, or muscles, being semi-contracted for a prolonged period, according to Spine Health. Stress is the most common cause of muscle tension. Muscle-relaxing medications and anti-anxiety medications are often...
A little cottonmouth is to be expected if you've been sweating out in the heat or if you know you haven't downed enough water. But what if you have chronic dry mouth that you just can't get rid of and can't figure out what's causing it? Chronic...
The pain and other accompanying symptoms caused by a pinched nerve can be unbearable. A pinched nerve in the neck occurs when excessive pressure is placed on a nerve or the nerve roots by a nearby structure. Some of the more common structures that...
Tetanus, also called "lockjaw," is a serious and possibly fatal disease caused by toxins (poisons) produced by a type of bacteria present in manure, soil or dust. According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), approximately...
Mayo Clinic experts state that a tension headache, which is also referred to as a stress headache, is the most common type of headache that afflicts patients. A study published in the "Journal of Neurology" in 2009 found that about 40 percent of...
Many have experienced the debilitating pain that comes with a pulled or strained muscle in the low back. Muscle strains occur when they are quickly and awkwardly stretched unexpectedly, such as might occur in an auto or sports injury. According to...
Acupuncturist may use a moving cupping method to help muscle spasms and stimulate relaxation. Learn more about moving cupping and acupuncture from our medical expert in this free video.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a condition in which your legs feel extremely uncomfortable while you're sitting or lying down. It makes you feel like getting up and moving around. When you do so, the unpleasant feeling of restless leg syndrome...
