Skeletal Muscle Relaxants and Acute Pain

Skeletal muscle relaxantsSkeletal muscle relaxants (SMRs) are a mainstay in pain managementPain management. The drug class of SMRs represents a heterogenous class of chemically distinct medications that are used in the management of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions associated with pain and discomfort. There are variations in the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, routes of administration, side effect profile and antispasticAntispastic versus antispasmodicAntispasmodic properties of these agents which largely guide their clinical utilization. This chapter provides a profile of the most commonly prescribed SMRs, their indications, advantages, disadvantages and the evidence supporting their efficacy.