Soma is the trading name for Carisoprodol, when produced and marketed as a pain relief medication by Mutual Pharmaceuticals. Soma is a muscle relaxant pain relief medication that works by blocking nerve impulses sent between the brain and upset areas of the body. More specifically, Soma makes the muscles relax by depressing activities in the central nervous system, thus interfering with the transmission of nerve impulses sent from the spinal cord to the muscles.

Soma is used as pain relief medication for problems caused by acute muscle injuries such as sprains and strains and is also helpful against muscle spasms. Soma is especially useful if prescribed early in a course of back pain, since Soma will make the muscle spasm associated with lower back pain stop. Soma often combined with salicylates like Aspirin to treat painful muscular conditions. Since Soma blocks the electrical communication between nerves in the reticular formation of the brain and the spinal cord, Soma should not be used for any long time treatments unless prescribed by a doctor.

Soma is often combined with physical therapy and other non-drug treatments, especially when pain and spasms makes it impossible to engage in physical therapy without the aid of pain relief medication. It typically takes around 30 minutes before the user notice any effect after ingesting Soma, and the effect will last for 4 to 6 hours. Swallow each dose of Soma together with at least one full glass of water.    

Soma Common side effects

The most common side effects experienced those who use Soma as a pain relief medication is dry mouth, drowsiness and dizziness. An easy way of dramatically lowering the risk of drowsiness and dizziness is to abstain from alcohol and sedative drugs while using Soma. If you still experience drowsiness and dizziness you should avoid driving, operating machinery or performing any other potentially hazardous activities while on the pain relief medication.

If you are allergic to Carisoprodol you might experience difficulty breathing and a swelling of your tongue and lips after ingesting Soma. If this happens, you should promptly seek medical attention. Never use more Soma than prescribed by your doctor. Generally speaking, 1,400 mg a day is considered the maximum dose, but this can be modified by your doctor and 1,400 mg can be too much for some users. If you increase the pain relief medication above the recommended limit, you might experience weakness, confusion and fainting caused by low blood pressure.

Very high doses of Soma can cause decreased breathing and unconsciousness and the user will require immediate medical attention. If you miss one of your Soma pills, you should never double the next dose to compensate for the missed dose. Taking more Soma than prescribed will increase the risk of serious side effects.