Soma Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Soma Tablet (carisoprodol) is a skeletal muscle relaxant that blocks pain signals between the nerves and the brain. It is taken by mouth and used together with rest and physical therapy to treat short-term muscle pain or injury in adults. Soma is intended for short-term use only, typically two to three weeks, and is not approved for anyone younger than 16 years old.

What is Soma Tablet

Soma is a muscle relaxer that blocks pain signals between the nerves and the brain. It comes as a tablet taken by mouth and is used along with rest and physical therapy to treat short-term muscle pain or injury.

Soma Tablet uses

• Relief of discomfort from acute, painful muscle, bone, and joint conditions in adults
• Used together with rest and physical therapy to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as pain or injury

Benefits of Soma Tablet

• May help relieve discomfort from sudden muscle strains, sprains, and injuries
• Used with rest and physical therapy to help the body recover while easing pain

How Soma Tablet works

The exact way Soma relieves muscle pain is not fully understood, but it seems to change how nerve signals travel between the spinal cord and the brain, rather than relaxing the muscles directly. It increases the effects of a brain chemical called GABA, which slows down nerve signals and has a calming effect on the body.

Soma Tablet dosage

Take Soma exactly as your doctor prescribed and follow all directions on your prescription label. It is usually taken three times a day and at bedtime. Soma can be taken with or without food, but taking daytime doses with meals may help you remember to take it consistently. Take your doses at the same time each day to keep a steady amount of medicine in your body.

Only use Soma for about two to three weeks; call your doctor if symptoms don't improve or get worse. Do not stop taking Soma suddenly after using it for a long time, since this can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms — ask your doctor how to stop safely. Soma is meant to be used as part of a full treatment plan that may also include rest and physical therapy. It is not approved for anyone younger than 16 years old.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet (250 mg)
• Tablet (350 mg)

Side effects of Soma Tablet

Common

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Headache

Serious

• Seizures (convulsions)
• High levels of serotonin in the body — agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Allergic reaction — hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Dependence, withdrawal, and abuse with prolonged use
• Fast heart rate, drop in blood pressure when standing, facial flushing
• Nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort

Warnings and precautions

• Do not take Soma if you have porphyria, a genetic disorder affecting the skin or nervous system, or if you are allergic to carisoprodol or a similar drug called meprobamate.
• Soma can be habit-forming. Never share this medicine with anyone else, since misusing it can lead to addiction, overdose, or death.
• If you stop taking Soma suddenly after using it for a long time, you may get withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor before stopping, as you may need to lower your dose gradually.
• Soma should only be used for a short time, up to two or three weeks, because it hasn't been shown to work well or be safe for longer use.
• Older adults are generally advised to avoid Soma because they may be more sensitive to its drowsiness and dizziness side effects, which can increase the risk of falls.
• Combining Soma with alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, or even some over-the-counter medicines like diphenhydramine can increase the risk of dangerous drowsiness and overdose.
• It is not known for certain whether Soma can harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, since Soma should only be used in pregnancy if the possible benefit is worth the possible risk to the baby.
• Soma can pass into breast milk and may cause drowsiness in a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding so your baby can be watched for signs of sleepiness.
• Soma leaves the body through the kidneys, so people with kidney problems should use it carefully because the drug could build up and increase the risk of side effects.
• Soma is broken down by the liver, so people with liver problems should use it carefully because the drug could build up and increase the risk of side effects.
• Do not drink alcohol while taking Soma. Combining the two can increase drowsiness and dizziness and raise the risk of a dangerous overdose.
• Soma can make you drowsy or dizzy, which can affect your ability to drive or operate machinery safely. Avoid these activities until you know how the medicine affects you.

Storage

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
• Store at controlled room temperature 20° - 25°C (68° - 77°F).
• Keep track of your medicine. Carisoprodol is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using it improperly or without a prescription.

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help right away if you have signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, trouble breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Stop taking Soma and call your doctor right away if you have a seizure, or symptoms of high serotonin levels such as agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness or twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• If you experience symptoms of an overdose, such as vision problems, confusion, hallucinations, muscle stiffness, loss of coordination, weak or shallow breathing, fainting, or seizures, have someone take you to the nearest emergency room right away.
• If you think you have taken too much Soma, contact your prescriber or a poison control center for guidance right away.

Alternatives

• Baclofen
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Methocarbamol