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Researchers at San Orsola-Lampighi Hospital in Bologna, Italy studied the safety and effectiveness of eperisone hydrochloride as a muscle relaxant for the treatment of muscle contracture and chronic low back pain. 100 patients with moderate to severe, acute, or relapsing low back pain were treated with 100mg of eperisone 3 times a day for 10 consecutive days. They were assess for spontaneous pain, pain on movement, resistance to passive movement, antalgic rigidity, and tolerability. The treatment consistently was successful as acting as an analgesic and muscle relaxant. Spontaneous pain and pain on movement were significantly decreased. Patients experienced a lower rigidity of the lower back and improved motility. Adverse effects were rare and included light-headedness, occasional vertigo, mild somnolence, and epigastric pain. In most cases the adverse reaction resolved spontaneously and treatment continued. Researchers concluded that eperisone hydrochloride is an effective and safe alternative to traditional analgesics and muscle relaxants for the treatment of chronic low back pain. They note that while rheumatologists traditionally combine a prescription for a muscle relaxant with a pain killer, eperisone treats low back pain on its own. It also exhibited an improved tolerability profile as compared to NSAIDs.

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