Summarize the following:
Sometimes muscle spasms can cause extreme pain. Ask your doctor about taking over the counter pain medicine, such as nonsteroidal anti-infammatory drugs (NSAIDS). These include ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). You may also try acetaminophen (Tylenol). These reduce any excessive inflammation or swelling of the affected area. Anti-inflammatories can also help increase blood flow to allow the area to heal. Your doctor will likely recommend that you take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication (such as Ibuprofen) as the first line of treatment. Ibuprofen side effects most commonly include gastrointestinal issues, but they're lower than the effects from aspirin. Ibuprofen side effects include: nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, indigestion, constipation, abdominal cramps, dizziness, headache, nervousness, or rash. If you have an injury or a muscle that is causing constant or repeating spasms, you should see your physician. Your doctor can prescribe medicine that will help relax your muscles and increase blood flow. Talk to your doctor if any medicine you take causes muscle spasms. Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) is a commonly prescribed medication for moderate to severe muscle spasms that works on your central nervous system to relax your muscles. While this is helpful, NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) have been shown to relieve acute symptoms from muscle spasms more effectively. Some muscle relaxers are highly addictive. Keep this in mind and monitor intake. You should be able to treat muscle spasms at home. But, if spasms are too painful, occur frequently, last a long time, or affect additional muscles, you should see your doctor. The spasm might be a sign of an underlying problem that needs treatment. Muscle spasms themselves are not usually a diagnosis. Instead, spasms can mean that there is another issue that needs to be diagnosed and treated. The issue can range from simple overuse of the muscle to an underlying metabolic disorder for chronic spasms.
Treat spasms with over the counter pain relievers. Take anti-inflammatory medications. Take muscle relaxers. Talk to your doctor if spasms are chronic.