Soma: The Most Important Five Things You Can KnowMuscle Relaxant and Pain Reliever

Soma (generic name carisoprodol) is a muscle relaxant and pain reliever. It acts by relaxing muscles that have been strained, sprained, or otherwise injured, and is usually used in conjunction with physical therapy and rest to promote healing. Its three different formulations give you options of varying strength to deal with your muscle injuries, no matter how serious the pain is.

But using Soma isn't for everyone, and there are several things you should know about it before using it. Here are the top five.

1. According to the Medline website, Soma is available in three major formulations: Soma including only carisoprodol, Soma Compound with carisoprodol and aspirin (for pain and to promote blood flow), and Soma Compound with Codein with carisopradol, aspirin, and codein phosphate (for severe pain). All three formulations must be used in conjunction with rest and physical therapy for proper healing of muscles. In all cases, it's usually in tablet form, and taken three times per day.

2. Your doctor or pharmacist should be told before you take Soma if you are also taking medications for allergies, coughs, and colds; other muscle relaxants, sedatives, sleeping pills, or tranquilizers; if you have kidney or liver disease; and alcohol. According to the drugs.com website, Soma is a drug that will make you drowsy, and if you take any other drugs or substances that make you drowsy in conjunction with Soma, you should not drive or do anything that puts you at risk if you fall asleep.

3. According to RXList, Soma can cause stomach upset if you don't take it with food and/or milk. Other side effects can include drowsiness or dizziness, clumsiness, headache and a fast heart rate, vomiting, and skin rash; these are normal but should be reported to your doctor. More serious side effects that need to be reported to your doctor right away include difficulty breathing, fever, weakness, and burning in the eyes. If you have porphyria, kidney or liver disease, or are pregnant or breast feeding, you should not use Soma without talking to your doctor.

4. The most important things you need to know about Soma is that you should not drive or operate heavy machinery while using it. Soma can cause you to be dizzy or drowsy, and it increases your chances of having an accident or making mistakes. Since alcohol has the same effects on you, you should be very cautious about drinking while taking Soma. Under no circumstances should you drive under the influence of Soma and alcohol. If you are taking Soma Compound with Codeine, you should not drink at all. Codeine has its own set of side effects that include sleepiness and dizziness.

5. Carisoprodol works by blocking nerve impulses to your brain from your muscles, including pain sensations and motor feedback. For this reason, Soma can make you very clumsy. It's a bad idea to try juggling while using Soma, and you should expect to not be as graceful as you normally are under its influence.