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Muscle relaxant. This article is about skeletal muscle relaxants. For information on smooth muscle relaxants, see Antispasmodic. A muscle relaxant is a drug that affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term muscle relaxant is used to refer to two major therapeutic groups: neuromuscular blockers and spasmolytics.
How They Work. While muscle relaxers are sometimes used for chronic health problems, the acute conditions that muscle relaxers are used to treat include temporary pain and stiffness. When you take muscle relaxers, they work on your muscle fibers and/or nerves to reduce the pain and relieve tension in the tight muscles. According to the AAFP, the goal is to improve muscle functionality so that you can resume your activities.