(Reuters Health) – A growing number of people in the U.S. are taking anti-anxiety drugs like Valium and Xanax not just for anxiety or depression but also for
chronic pain
, researchers say. These drugs are in a family of medicines known as benzodiazepines, which also include drugs like Ativan and Klonopin.
Is Valium good for nerve pain?
Valium (diazepam) is effective for occasional or short-term use for anxiety and muscle spasm. Compared to similar drugs, Valium (diazepam) acts very quickly but can have interactions with other medicines.
Treats tingling and burning nerve pain
.
What is Valium good for?
Diazepam is used to treat
anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, and seizures
. It is also used to relieve muscle spasms and to provide sedation before medical procedures. This medication works by calming the brain and nerves.
Does diazepam give pain relief?
anxiety – you should start to feel a bit better within a few hours, but it may take a week or two for you to feel the full effects. muscle spasms – you should
begin to feel less pain after 15 minutes
. Your muscles will start to relax when you have been taking diazepam regularly for a few days.
Does Valium help pain?
“There’s a belief that diazepam [Valium], which is probably the most commonly used one, is helpful as a way of relieving muscle spasm in acute back pain but
in fact there’s basically no evidence to support its use in someone with
acute back pain,” Vagg said.
Can Benzos help nerve pain?
There is virtually no evidence to support benzodiazepines
or other muscle relaxants for radiculopathy, or any other form of neuropathic pain for that matter. Even for nonspecific BP, the evidence supporting benzodiazepines is weak, and is no better (or inferior) than for other muscle relaxants
[ 7 , 21 ]
.
Does diazepam stop nerve pain?
These results suggest that in addition to exerting effects on CBR,
diazepam may inhibit neuropathic pain via TSPO
, which promotes neurosteroid formation, subsequently reducing the activation of astrocytes and production of cytokines.
How long does 5mg diazepam last?
The physiological effects of diazepam only last
about 5 hours
. However, diazepam is a long acting benzo that stays in your system for several days. The half-life of Valium is 20 hours. This means that it takes about 20 hours for half of the original dose to exit your system.
What will 5mg of diazepam do?
Diazepam is used to
treat anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, and seizures
. It is also used to relieve muscle spasms and to provide sedation before medical procedures. This medication works by calming the brain and nerves.
Is diazepam a muscle relaxer?
Benzodiazepine medications like oxazepam and diazepam (Valium) are sometimes prescribed as
muscle relaxants
.
What is the best tablet for nerve pain?
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan), and nortriptyline (Pamelor). …
- Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor).
Is diazepam good for sciatica?
For the sciatica I’ve done lots of stuff and my personal 7 month journey went something like: ow ow owa, call doctor, get valium (Diazepam) which
relaxes this muscles
so I could then at least lie down with much less pain and move around. I only took 3 of these tablets over the next few days.
Is clonazepam used as a muscle relaxant?
Clonazepam belongs to a group of medicines called
benzodiazepines
. It works by increasing levels of a calming chemical, gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA), in your brain. Depending on your health condition, this can relieve anxiety, stop seizures and fits or relax tense muscles.
What should you not take with diazepam?
- anti-anxiety medications, including other benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam and oxazepam.
- anticonvulsants such as valproate.
- antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, imipramine, nortriptyline.
- antihistamines that cause sedation, such as diphenhydramine.
How many 5mg diazepam can you take in a day?
Adults—10 milligrams (mg) 3 or 4 times for the first 24 hours,
then 5 mg 3 to 4 times per day as needed
. Older adults—At first, 2 to 2.5 mg 1 or 2 times a day. Your doctor will gradually increase your dose as needed. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
When is it best to take diazepam?
You should not normally be prescribed diazepam for more than four weeks. If you are taking diazepam to help you sleep, you should take it
just before bedtime
. Diazepam can be taken before or after food. Swallow tablets whole with a drink of water – if chewed, they taste bitter.
