Muscle Relaxants

💻 Poor posture (Office Syndrome) — Prolonged desk work with poor sitting posture — hunched back, forward head, raised shoulders — causes chronic tension in the neck, shoulders, and back.

🏋️ Muscle overuse — Intense exercise, heavy lifting, or physically demanding work can injure and spasm muscles.

😰 Stress — Stress causes unconscious muscle tension, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and jaw.

🛌 Sleeping in a bad position — Leads to waking up with neck pain, back pain, or stiffness.

🩺 Structural issues — Degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, or spinal degeneration cause surrounding muscles to spasm protectively.

Muscle relaxants are medications that reduce muscle tension and spasm, improve blood circulation to affected areas, relieve muscle pain, and restore comfortable movement.

They differ from general painkillers (like paracetamol or Ibuprofen) — painkillers reduce the sensation of pain but don't relax the muscle itself. Muscle relaxants address the root cause: the spasming muscle. The two are often used together for best results.

At Intimo Life, we offer 4 products across 3 drug classes.

Myonal — Eperisone Hydrochloride

• Modern muscle relaxant that relaxes muscles AND improves blood flow
• Very low drowsiness — ideal for people who need to drive or concentrate
• Taken 3 times daily after meals

Mydocalm / Biocalm — Tolperisone

• Acts on the central nervous system to relax muscles
• Lower drowsiness than older muscle relaxants (like Methocarbamol)
• Effective for whole-body muscle tension
• Mydocalm is the original brand; Biocalm offers the same quality at a more accessible price

Norgesic — Orphenadrine + Paracetamol

• Combination formula: muscle relaxant + painkiller in one tablet
• Fast-acting dual relief — no need for multiple medications
• Ideal for acute muscle pain requiring rapid relief
• May cause drowsiness and dry mouth

Office syndrome — need to keep working → Myonal or Mydocalm / Biocalm — low drowsiness, work normally

Acute muscle pain — need fast relief → Norgesic — muscle relaxant + painkiller combined, fast-acting

Chronic muscle tension — long-term use → Myonal — fewest side effects, improves blood flow to tense muscles

Post-exercise or heavy lifting injury → Norgesic for acute phase; Myonal or Mydocalm for recovery

Consult a pharmacist for the best recommendation.

💊 Dosing — Take after meals to reduce stomach irritation / follow the dosage recommended by your pharmacist / typically 3 times daily (Myonal, Mydocalm, Biocalm) or 3-4 times daily (Norgesic)

📅 Duration — Usually short-term, 1-2 weeks, combined with posture correction and stretching / if symptoms don't improve after 2 weeks, consult a pharmacist or doctor

⚠️ Precautions — Norgesic may cause drowsiness; avoid driving or operating heavy machinery / do not drink alcohol while taking muscle relaxants, as drowsiness will increase significantly

The muscle relaxants available at Intimo Life are newer formulations with fewer side effects than older drugs.

Eperisone (Myonal) — Fewest side effects in the group, very low drowsiness / mild gastrointestinal upset, rash, or dizziness may rarely occur

Tolperisone (Mydocalm, Biocalm) — Low drowsiness / mild nausea, dizziness, or headache possible

Orphenadrine + Paracetamol (Norgesic) — May cause drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, and constipation (anticholinergic effects) / not recommended for elderly patients with enlarged prostate or glaucoma

Muscle relaxants — e.g. Eperisone, Tolperisone, Orphenadrine. Relax tense, spasming muscles and improve blood flow. Address the root cause of the pain.

Painkillers — e.g. paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Naproxen. Reduce pain sensation and inflammation. Don't relax the muscle.

Best used together — For muscle pain and back pain, combining both gives the best results (except Norgesic, which already contains paracetamol — don't add more).

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people search for pain relief.

🔴 Main causes — Muscle tension from poor posture / prolonged sitting without breaks / lifting heavy objects incorrectly / being overweight / disc degeneration or herniation

💊 Treatment — Muscle relaxants (e.g. Myonal, Norgesic) to relax tense back muscles, combined with painkillers / heat packs for 15-20 minutes to improve circulation / gentle back stretches

Office syndrome is the most common form of work-related muscle pain.

🖥️ Optimise your workstation — Screen at eye level, 50-70 cm away / chair with lumbar support / elbows at 90° when typing / feet flat on the floor

⏰ Take regular breaks — Stand up every 30-45 minutes. Stretch neck, shoulders, and back.

🧘 Daily stretching — Neck rotations, side tilts, chest stretches, back stretches, torso twists.

💊 Medication when needed — Muscle relaxants like Myonal or Biocalm during severe episodes — low drowsiness so you can keep working.

Most muscle pain resolves with muscle relaxants, stretching, and rest. See a doctor if:

🚨 Pain is so severe you can't function / pain radiates down your leg or arm with numbness or weakness (possible herniated disc) / back pain with loss of bladder or bowel control (emergency) / no improvement after 2 weeks / fever present / history of trauma or injury