Are Muscle Relaxants Effective for Jaw Pain & Headaches?

Skeletal muscle relaxants are a group of medications used to change how muscles work. Doctors often prescribe these medications to treat acute muscle spasms, involuntary muscle spasticity, and severe musculoskeletal pain. While medications like Flexeril®, Soma®, and Robaxin® are commonly utilized to address short-term physical trauma or instances of a sudden “charley horse,” they simply change a patient’s perception of pain by blocking sensory nerve transmission rather than altering actual muscular activity.

What Are Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

Muscle relaxants are a group of medications used to change how muscles work. Doctors use these medications to either treat smooth muscles (e.g., involuntary muscles like our heart) or skeletal muscles (e.g. voluntary muscles like our bicep). We are focusing here on the medications affecting the skeletal muscles. These medications are prescribed in treating muscle spasms, muscle spasticity, and musculoskeletal pain.

Muscle Spasms – Charley Horse

Muscle spasms, commonly called a “charley horse,” are involuntary, sudden contractions or convulsions that can affect one or multiple muscles at a time. When a muscle goes into a spasm, it quickly causes a chemical imbalance within itself setting the “pain” pathway into motion. Spasms of the muscle generate the pain signal that then travel along sensory nerves to the central nervous system.

Medications such as Soma®, Flexeril®, Metaxall®, Robaxin®, and Norflex® are examples of skeletal muscle relaxants for treating muscle spasms. The “numbing” effect produced by these medications is due to their action on the sensory nerves. They essentially block the transmission of pain signals to the CNS, without altering muscular activity. They simply change the patient’s perception of pain.

Muscle Spasticity – A Neurologic Condition

This condition refers to a muscle (or a group of muscles) starting to contract for no reason. All muscles can contract. But they also need to relax to let opposing muscles do their job. Muscle spasticity can impact our movement and our speech. A spastic leg muscle won’t allow the patient to walk normally since a group of muscles won’t “relax”. A spastic vocal cord can affect our speech for the same reason. The reason for spastic muscles is abnormal neurological activity, meaning a problem with the nerves affecting those muscles. Some conditions that result in muscle spasticity include cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease, stroke, and brain or head injuries.

Baclofen (Lioresal®) and Dantrium® are examples of muscle relaxers for the treatment of spastic muscle. These medications are thought to affect the CNS and thus inhibit muscle activity.

Musculoskeletal Pain – A Catchall Phrase

Musculoskeletal pain refers to any pain coming from muscles, bones, joints, and tendons or ligaments. Injuries and overuse are the main reasons for musculoskeletal pain. Both muscle spasms and spasticity result in this type of pain. And the reason why muscle relaxers are used is to “dull” the pain, instead of treating the source of the pain.

Why Oral Muscle Relaxers Fail to Treat Chronic TMJ Pain

Skeletal muscle relaxers are strictly engineered for the temporary management of acute muscle spasms. However, chronic jaw soreness, tension headaches, and facial pain are almost never caused by simple muscle spasms. Instead, these conditions typically stem from the continuous overuse or misalignment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and its surrounding head and neck tissues.

Because oral muscle relaxants cannot treat the underlying structural forces driving this joint strain, they fail to provide long-term relief. Furthermore, daily use comes with a lengthy list of undesirable side effects, including severe drowsiness, constipation, dry mouth, and an increased risk of serotonin toxicity when paired with anti-depressants. Rather than temporarily dulling your symptoms with systemic prescriptions, true relief requires addressing the root cause of muscular overload and decompressing the joint.

Why Medication Cannot Cure an Active Toothache or Jaw Pain

When you experience an acute toothache or sharp dental pain, it is because the tooth structure itself is compromised by an active disease process. A deep cavity, structural fracture, or internal nerve infection cannot be resolved by any amount of oral muscle relaxers or anti-inflammatory drugs. If you are experiencing throbbing, discomfort, or swelling, explore our comprehensive breakdown of common diseases affecting teeth.

Conclusion – Muscle Relaxants Not Useful for Headaches or Jaw Pain

While muscle relaxants have a valid place in managing short-term neurological spasticity, they are not a proven or effective solution for chronic jaw pain or tension headaches. At Platinum Dental, Inc., Dr. Sonny Eslampour specializes in advanced, medication-free protocols to safely alleviate facial discomfort. By focusing on joint decompression and muscle relaxation, we construct protective nightguards to stabilize your joint and permanently minimize muscular stress.

For further information on treatment for headaches and jaw pain, visit our website dedicated to the treatment of head and neck pain.

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