Multiple types of muscle relaxing drugs are sold through drug stores as well as by online vendors. Most of these relaxants can be bought only with needful prescriptions; however, some can also be bought as over the counter (OTC) drugs. Baclofen is one of the commonly prescribed muscle relaxants. It is available in strengths ranging from 10 mg onwards. Before starting your medication plan, you need to understand the dosage levels and the uses associated with each dosage level. In this milieu, knowing the uses of the 10 mg-form of baclofen can prove to be very useful – especially, if you are asked to take a low dosage form of this muscle relaxing drug.
Muscular relaxants are sold as generic as well as branded formulations. Baclofen remains a widely used drug in this genre. This drug is mainly used for treating muscle related conditions such as muscular spasms, spasticity, pains and pulls. These discomforts are often attributed to health conditions like multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, etc. In some instances, this drug has been administered to treat pains in the lower back region or other back pains. The food and drug administration (FDA) has approved this drug mainly for muscular conditions; hence, use of baclofen for other forms of pains is pursued only as an off-label use. In all such off-label uses, it is important to talk to your treating doctor or pharmacist about safety of such applications.
Uses of baclofen 10 mg
Ten (10) milligrams – mg of baclofen is one of the low dosage forms of this drug. Its main use is to start your medication plan. As an added precaution, your treating doctor may advise you to take 5 mg of this drug, to start with. If you are taking a shot of this drug, needful dosage is measured and is often directly given at the spinal cord region. In case of an oral intake – i.e., as a pill, 10 mg of baclofen is often halved to make it as a 5 mg dosage.
People who are hypersensitive to baclofen
It is a generally followed practice to commence the treatment plan with a very low dose. In case of baclofen, 10 mg is made into two 5 mg doses. At such extremely low dosage, your doctor will observe how well your body responds to it. Your medical team will also notice if you are developing any adverse side effects or any major undesired reactions. Some people who are extremely sensitive to the active ingredients of baclofen may develop some adverse effects even at such low dosage levels. For instance, side effects such as convulsions, seizures or epileptic fits are observed at significantly low dosages of say, 10 mg.
Women who are pregnant or those who are planning to be pregnant
Women who are planning to get pregnant or those who are already pregnant are never administered with baclofen at any stage of their pregnancy. However, if the medical condition is so acute that a few dosages are required, the doctor often administers the lowest dose of baclofen. In such cases, a 10 mg dose of baclofen is halved to ensure the dosages have very minor or no impact on your fetus.
Elderly patients as well as younger adults6
Common side effects of baclofen include dizziness, excessive drowsiness, and abdominal conditions like nausea as well as vomiting. These side effects may show up in their acute forms when taken by older people and younger adults i.e., those aged above 13 years but less than 18 years of age. Among such people, it is always recommended to give a lower dosage value of 10 mg of baclofen. It is considered as a safe practice to divide the standard 10 mg dose in order to make it as a low dosage med in all such cases. Elders are also advised to talk to their treating doctor as well as pharmacist before starting their medication plans.
As a general safety measure, you are advised to prepare a list of all the drugs you are currently consuming. In this list, ensure to add all forms of treatment plans – i.e., including intake of over the counter (OTC) drugs, prescription meds, vitamins, protein supplements, nutraceuticals, herbal supplements as well as dietary aids.
Those who are taking cold medicines or anxiety-reducing drugs
At times, people who take medicines for common cold or flu may have to take muscle relaxing drugs like baclofen. It is likely to develop severe spells of drowsiness as well as dizziness upon co-administering these two genres of drugs. Your medical team may advise lowered dosage forms of both cold medications as well as baclofen. In such conditions, 10 mg form, or at times – even 5 mg – of this muscular relaxant is widely used. This precaution applies for those who are taking anxiety-reducing drugs such as lorazepam, alprazolam, etc. In case of taking such meds, dosage of baclofen is decreased to a low value of 5 mg.
In sum, Uses of baclofen 10 mg multiple conditions. It is often used for starting your medication plan; especially, to know how well your body responds to the initial doses and to know if your system is developing any major side effects or allergic reactions. A regular dosage plan – at a higher dosage value – is administered only when your body does not react adversely to a 10 mg dose (or, a lesser dose) of baclofen. Other uses of baclofen 10 mg is for the treatment plans of elderly patients (aged above 60 years) as well as among younger adults (those aged more than 13 years but less than 18 years).
Last but not least, baclofen 10 mg may also cause a few side effects. The most common side effects include dizziness or acute episodes of drowsiness. Upon sensing any of these side effects, you are advised to call 911 or the helpline contacts of the food and drug administration. If you are living in any of the Canadian provinces, you may need to call Health Canada for quick medical attention. You may also need to reach out to a poison control center seeking faster clinical care or medical attention in a proper healthcare setting such as a hospital or a clinic.
Education: Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Michigan. Experience: Over 8 years of experience writing for health and wellness websites, including WebMD and Healthline, specializing in women’s health and nutrition.
