This article refers to skeletal muscle relaxants. For information on
smooth muscle relaxants, see
Antispasmodic. A muscle relaxant is a drug which affects
skeletal muscle function and decreases the
muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle
spasm and pain, and
hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therapeutic groups:
neuromuscular blockers and
spasmolytics. Neuromuscular blockers act by interfering with transmission at the neuromuscular end plate and have no
CNS activity. They are often used during surgical procedures and in
intensive care and
emergency medicine to cause
paralysis. Spasmolytics, also known as "centrally-acting" muscle relaxants, are used to alleviate musculoskeletal pain and spasms and to reduce
spasticity in a variety of neurological conditions. While both neuromuscular blockers and spasmolytics are often grouped together as muscle relaxants, the term is commonly used to refer to spasmolytics only.
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