Baclofen

Millions of people all over the world are suffering from muscle aches and pains. These pains often manifest on the skeleton as a result of multiple sclerosis, and with more and more people suffering from this condition, it’s no surprise for the medical industry to introduce a unique drug known to be capable of treating muscle pains. They call it Baclofen.

What Is Baclofen?

Baclofen is an oral prescription drug that is offered under Lioresal and Kemstro brand names. Scientifically, it is considered as a derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid and is formulated to several medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, trigeminal neuralgia, and spastic diplegia. Recent researches also show that it can help alleviate the symptoms of hiccups.

There is a particular characteristic unique to baclofen. On the most basic, it comes as an oral medication characterized as a white to off-white crystalline powder. It is odorless and weighs for about 213.66 g/mol. Other than that, it is highly soluble in water, but tends to be the opposite in chloroform. When placed in methanol, this medication tends to be soluble but slightly.

How Does Baclofen Work?

Essentially, baclofen is designed to affect the spinal cord, which anatomically is the body part which connects the brain and other parts of the body. The spinal cord serves as the reflex system, which in turn works as to take the role of a feedback loop. When the muscles around the cord are bothered to some degree, baclofen attack the cells of this reflex system so to soothe the muscles. It triggers the cells to release the so-called gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA) and mimics its effects to slow down the reflex circuits.

So that’s it. Now, to obtain the best results, every patient prescribed by this solution must follow the right dosage recommended by the specialist. Typically, you will be asked to start taking baclofen for at least five milligrams three times a day. This dosage is only perfect for adults, and it can be increased in a slow pace every three days. The increase may reach up to 80 milligrams a day.

It is necessary to follow whatever recommendations your doctor had gave you for the reason that once this medication is taken improperly, certain adverse side effects may appear uncontrolled. The side effects of baclofen may vary depending on the amount of dosage taken, but they manifest typically in the form of seizures, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, vomiting, weakness, constipation, confusion, low blood pressure, sleep deprivation, respiratory depression, confusion, and urinary retention, to mention but a few.

Note that when baclofen oral intake is discontinued abruptly, hallucinations and seizures may develop. In the same way, an abruptly discontinued intrathecal baclofen can cause high fever, rigidity of the muscles, rebound spasticity, and even muscle breakdown medically known as rhabromyolysis. These conditions are what will eventually lead to chronic failuire of the major organs in the body including kidney. Worst is that, they can cause death.

So when any of the above mentioned baclofen side effects are felt, there’s nothing better for you to do then than to consult a specialist. He or she can help you adjust the dosage to the safest level.

While talking to your doctor about all the side effects of baclofen, don’t also forget to know about its drug interaction possibilities. Fact is, baclofen may interact with certain drugs, and once the interaction is negative, it can cause further defects in your system, particular on the brain. This is where the importance of telling your doctor about all the over the counter and prescription medications you are taking comes in. The point is that don’t just start using this oral medication without even letting you doctor know about your other medications.