Questions on the article

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alytejani
alytejani's picture
Questions on the article
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Hi James,

Hope you are well.

You mentioned about dispensing several valium but you did not state a the approximate dose that is given to the patient. In addition, there are surely herbal muscle relaxants which are safer to use but doctors don't seem the mention these, why not? If this information could be provided, it would be much appreciated. Moreover, there should be some drinks that would help with alleviating the cricopharyngeous spasm, please could you specify these drinks?

Thanks
Aly T

James P Thomas MD
James P Thomas MD's picture

 

I have typically used 5-10 mg of Valium as a test for relief of spasm.

The issue with alternative medications is that they have not been scientifically studied. Consequently scientific claims cannot be made about either effectiveness or safety. Since Western medicine is based on science, it is not possible to make a recommendation regarding safety and effectiveness of a medication which has not been studied.

I'm not aware of how the content of a drink would affect a muscle spasm during its brief passage through the cricopharyngeal area. It is plausible that the temperature of the drink might play some role since heat will tend to relax a muscle.