The Ugly Truth Behind Muscle Relaxants

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted December 17, 2020

Do you struggle with back pain? 

If so, this time of year might be particularly difficult for you. From hanging Christmas lights, putting up the tree, and wrapping your grandkids presents, it can make an already painful back, just that much more unbearable.  

And what happens when you walk into your mainstream doc’s office? He’ll prescribe you an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxants. This standard care.   

Now we can discuss the boatload problems with the mainstream and anti-inflammatories another time, but what about those muscle relaxants?  

Brace yourself for the ugly truth. 

A new research study suggests that muscle relaxants are NOT HELPFUL and are being prescribed for no good reason. 

That is a problem because there are 2.6 million visits to emergency room department’s every year for lower back pain – and every one of those people are walking out with a prescription for muscle relaxants (such as: baclofen, metaxalone, tizanidine, diazepam, orphenadrine, methocarbamol, or cyclobenzaprine).  

The study, presented at The American College of Emergency Physicians online conference, enrolled 889 patients with low back pain visiting an urgent care center.  

The people in the study were either given anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) with muscle relaxants or NSAIDS and a placebo.   

After one-week researchers found no difference between placebo or the group with skeletal muscle relaxants. The side effects of muscle relaxants are enormous, including drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, fatigue, problems walking.  

And forget it if you have liver, kidney, or heart problems – these drugs are not to be prescribed to people with those conditions (but they often are).  

Not to mention muscle relaxants are highly addictive. 

But here’s the thing: NO drug treatment has been shown to provide a moderate or large effect on people with acute back pain. Using natural anti-inflammatories and moving your body is the only way to get out of back pain.  

Dr. Scott’s Back Pain Solution: 

• Stretch: Our bodies become tighter as we age, and we need to stretch to keep us flexible. Find a stretching routine you can do every day (even when you are not in pain). Stretching alone can fix most people’s back pain if they make a habit of it.   
• Move: Moving your body helps to bring new blood, oxygen, and nutrients as well as take away waste. I rarely recommend anything more than gentle walking or swimming for people with back pain.  

• Anti-inflammatory: With back pain, you need to calm down inflammation. The best natural tools for this are Omega-3 fish oils and the herbs curcumin and Boswellia.  
• Nutrients: Magnesium is needed to help muscles relax and Vitamin D has been shown to help reduce pain.  
• Get Help: I like chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncture for back pain. Find someone you trust and work with them. 

P.S. Believe it or not, research suggests that spending time in quarantine and cooped up at home more can actually have your backpain skyrocketing. Find out how to find natural relief here.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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