Methocarbamol (MC) is a narcotic analgesic used for chronic pain. It is available in different strengths. MC was first developed in the 1960’s and became popular among patients with osteoarthritis or other musculoskeletal conditions. Since then, it has been prescribed to treat various types of cancer pain, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, and many others.
The side effects of MC are not known. However, there have been reports of severe liver damage, kidney failure, and death from overdose. There is no way to tell if someone will experience these problems without testing them. If you decide to use MC for any reason, please do so only after consulting your doctor first.
Is Methocarbamol a Narcotic?
In order to answer this question, we need to understand what a narcotic is. A narcotic is defined as: “a substance which produces dependence upon another person.” In other words, when someone uses a narcotic they become dependent on the drug. They may feel euphoric or depressed depending on their mood before taking the drug and their state of mind afterward. Some drugs like alcohol and nicotine produce similar effects but they don’t cause dependency. This is why alcohol and nicotine are legal in most western countries.
Methocarbamol (MC) is not a narcotic as most people think. Although it may produce euphoria or depression after taking it, it does not cause users to become physically or psychologically dependent on it.
Is Methocarbamol a Muscle Relaxer?
Yes, in some ways it is a muscle relaxer. But not in all ways. It does not work like Valium or Ativan. These drugs are called benzodiazepines, or simply “benzos.” Some people take them to relieve anxiety. Others take them to treat sleep problems or muscle spasms. They also have a history of abuse and addiction. While these drugs produce a general feeling of relaxation, they do not specifically target muscles.
Instead, they act on the brain to produce this effect. They may also cause drowsiness. In the same way, a drug called Methaqualone is also classified as a muscle relaxer. It is not used commonly anymore because it has significant side effects and is easy to overdose on.
Methocarbamol (MC) works in a different way than the above drugs. That means that it doesn’t produce drowsiness or make you sleepy. However, it does act directly on your muscles to relax them. Typically, it is used for treating skeletal muscle conditions. If you suffer from muscle spasms and pain caused by injury or other conditions, your doctor may prescribe this drug to you.
Are There Any Other Benefits?
While most people take this drug to treat pain and other musculoskeletal conditions, it may have other uses as well. While it is one of the oldest drugs available, it has some of the least understood mechanisms of action. We know that it works on the central nervous system but we don’t know exactly how. It could potentially be used to treat high blood pressure, heart conditions, or even sleeping problems.
Sources & references used in this article:
Comparison of the degree of discriminability of various drugs using the T-maze drug discrimination paradigm by DA Overton – Psychopharmacology, 1982 – Springer
Criteria for high-risk medication use in Thai older patients by CE Cherubin – … Manual for Acute Drug Abuse …, 1976 – … , National Institute on Drug Abuse
Regulatory aspects of drug use in performance horses by W Winit-Watjana, P Sakulrat… – Archives of Gerontology …, 2008 – Elsevier
Inappropriate prescribing in the hospitalized elderly patient: defining the problem, evaluation tools, and possible solutions by RR Gowen, JG Lengel – Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine …, 1993 – Elsevier
Gender-associated differences in emergency department pain management by RL Page, SAL II, LL Bryant… – Clinical interventions in …, 2010 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Drug use in the chemically dependent: How to avoid relapse to addiction by KA Raftery, R Smith-Coggins, AHM Chen – Annals of emergency medicine, 1995 – Elsevier
Polypharmacy: Keeping the elderly safe: Because they take more medications than younger patients, the elderly have a higher risk of adverse reactions. Here’s how to … by JT Mulry, J Stockhoff – Postgraduate medicine, 1988 – Taylor & Francis
