The most rapid muscle relaxant is Succinylcholine which has also been the preferred muscle relaxant as it has a rapid onset of 40 seconds to 60 seconds and a short duration that lasts only 6 minutes to 10 minutes.
A good muscle relaxer over the counter is naproxen or NSAIDs which can provide muscle relaxing effects.
NSAIDs and naproxen can also provide relief from pain and muscle tension pain.
The NSAIDs and naproxen are often the first line of treatment for treating acute muscle pain.
Naproxen is also known as Aleve and is a potent NSAID which can effectively reduce muscle pain and inflammation, which makes it a strong option for muscle spasms and muscle cramps.
Naproxen as an NSAID helps reduce pain and inflammation which are common causes of muscle spasms and muscle cramps.
Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin are other common NSAIDs which also provide pain and inflammation relief which makes it another good option for muscle pain and muscle spasms.
Another over the counter option for muscle relaxation is guaifenesin which is a common expectorant and can also be supplemented by magnesium.
In some cases you may need prescription muscle relaxants which you have to see your doctor to get.
Some of the best prescription muscle relaxers are tizanidine, baclofen and cyclobenzaprine.
Cyclobenzaprine also known as Amrix and Flexeril is a popular and also relatively inexpensive generic muscle relaxant that is often used short term to treat muscle spasms and pain related to strains and sprains.
Baclofen is mainly used to treat spasticity, and most particularly in conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury or cerebral palsy..
Tizanidine also known as Zanaflex is another option used for treating spasticity and is often used alongside baclofen.
Carisoprodol is also another medication that can be used to treat pain that is associated with acute musculoskeletal conditions.