The Dangers of Mixing Alcohol and Muscle Relaxers

What Are Muscle Relaxers?

Muscle relaxers are a class of drugs known as antispasticity or antispasmodic agents. (1) Muscle relaxants are prescription medications that help relieve muscle spasms or involuntary muscle contractions. These are often caused by a spine-related issue, such as whiplash, low back strain, or fibromyalgia. Muscle spasms can cause severe pain and limit a person’s mobility.

Although different muscle relaxers vary somewhat in their mechanism of action, they all work to promote muscle pain relief or relaxation. If you have been prescribed one of these medications, you are advised to avoid drinking alcohol for several reasons.

Risks of Combining Alcohol & Muscle Relaxers

The short-term risks associated with drinking alcohol while using muscle relaxers are related to how each substance affects the brain and body. Moreover, they both work to depress the central nervous system and reduce brain activity. (2) This results in slowed heart rate, breathing, and other bodily functions. Because both muscle relaxers and alcohol produce this effect, combined use can compound each substance’s depressive impact on the brain and body—possibly to the point of being dangerous in some cases.

Alcohol and muscle relaxer intoxication can also impair the ability to think clearly and make sound decisions. This can be extremely dangerous, as individuals are more vulnerable to impulsivity and engaging in risky activities, such they would avoid under normal circumstances. 

Long-Term Risks 

In addition, prolonged combined use can lead to potentially lethal long-term effects, such as liver and kidney damage. It can also result in impaired cognitive function and memory. 

Although muscle relaxers are not believed to cause weight gain directly, this can occur due to reduced mobility and activity from the underlying condition. (3) When you consider alcohol’s high-calorie content and adverse effects on metabolism, unwanted weight gain could be a significant issue if not offset by exercise or a restricted diet.

Alcohol & Muscle Relaxer Side Effects

Muscle relaxers’ side effects, including drowsiness or dizziness, can be intensified when taken with alcohol. This combination can also lead to potentially dangerous symptoms.

Severe Side Effects of Muscle Relaxers & Alcohol Include:

• Profound drowsiness/sleepiness.
• Dizziness or light-headedness.
• Liver damage.
• Slow or difficult breathing.
• Reduced motor control/poor coordination.
• Impaired cognition.
• Blackouts or memory loss.
• Overdose.
• Death.

Operating a motor vehicle or engaging in actions that require alertness and coordination is associated with severe risks related to each substance independently. Drinking alcohol while using muscle relaxers can make these activities extremely dangerous and is strongly discouraged. This can result in injury to oneself or others.

Also, both muscle relaxers and alcohol can be habit-forming, and chronic misuse of either can increase a person’s risk of developing dependence on one, the other, or both.

Identifying Signs of Overdose or Life-Threatening Intoxication

Excessive drinking can lead to life-threatening alcohol poisoning. Muscle relaxers can worsen these effects and cause incapacitation before a person realizes they are in danger of an overdose. Seek emergency medical attention if you identify any of the following symptoms in yourself or someone else after using muscle relaxers with alcohol.

Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning or Overdose Include:

• Extreme drowsiness.
• Blurry vision.
• Vomiting.
• Slowed or labored respiration.
• Extreme weakness.
• Severely impaired mobility.
• Heart palpitations.
• Confusion and unusual behavior.
• Hypotension and fainting.
• Seizures.