Published on 22 January 2023

Can You Snort Soma?: Be Aware Of The Effects?

Soma (Carisoprodol) CAN-YOU-SNORT-SOMA
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People feel pain when signals travel via Nerve fibers to the brain for interpretation. The experience of pain varies for every individual, and there are various ways to feel and describe the pain. This variation can make it challenging to define and treat pain.

Soma (brand name-Carisoprodol) is a muscle relaxant that benefits people with musculoskeletal pain by acting as a tranquilizer or pain relief. Soma can be addictive; some take it recreationally for its soothing effects. Its primary ingredient, Meprobamate, is a controlled substance. This is due to its ability to affect brain receptors, which leads to dependence and misuse.

Although Carisoprodol prescribing appears to be declining to number 214 of the previous year, down from number 181 of the top 300 commonly prescribed medications, it is still widely prescribed in the U.S., with over 3.4 million prescriptions in 2017

The term route of administration refers to how a person takes a drug. Drugs can be consumed in different ways, including smoking, snorting, swallowing, and injecting. Snorting drugs—also known as nasal insufflation, refers to inhaling a drug through the nose. This blog will cover why people snort drugs, the risks of drug snorting, and Soma snorting.

What Is Soma?

Soma is the brand name of Carisoprodol, an oral prescription muscle relaxant to relieve muscle pain or spasms. It is available in tablet form and was first known as a Generic medication in the United States in 1959; that benefits people with musculoskeletal pain by acting as a tranquilizer or pain relief.

They are authorized in 12 Member States under various trade names. The medication can only be obtained with a prescription and for short-term treatment. Soma is a CNS depressant thought to prevent your nervous system from sending pain signals back to your brain. CNS depressants can slow down the CNS.

Additionally, Soma is classified as a Schedule IV controlled drug, i.e., it has a potential for abuse and dependence. Because of this reason, it is essential to take Soma precisely as directed by a medical practitioner. 

How Does Soma Work?

Like other muscle relaxers, Soma causes the muscles to become less stiff and tense, reducing pain and discomfort caused by injury. A generic compound of this medication contains both aspirin and Carisoprodol to produce pain relief, while another version contains Carisoprodol, aspirin, and the opioid painkiller codeine.

Soma affects communication between nerve cells in the central nervous system to promote muscle relaxation and pain relief. Soma's specific mechanism of action is unclear. Still, it's believed that the drug alleviates muscle pain and discomfort by acting on GABA receptors in the brain, inhibiting neural activity, and reducing pain signals.

Can You Snort Soma?

Snorting Soma is taking medicine orally or crushing the tablet and inhaling it. By doing this, the drug will directly go to the brain, creating a strong effect. This is the reason why people snort the medication. These people Abuse all opioid painkillers in many different ways, such as consuming alcohol while taking the drug, injecting, and smoking it.

These are very bad and will create a lot of side effects. After the first time snorting or inhaling, painkillers like Soma impact the nose and nasal passages and are likely to reduce the heartbeat and sometimes lead to coma-like adverse effects. So it's better to avoid inhaling the medications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Soma (Carisoprodol) helps alleviate musculoskeletal pain. However, there's no evidence of its effectiveness in long-term use and if this is the most potent muscle relaxer than others.
Every medication you take should be sufficient enough to handle the pain you are suffering from. The recommended dose of Soma is 250 - 350 mg thrice daily at bedtime.
Soma shows up for around 24 hours in a blood test, several days in a urine test, and months in a hair test after someone uses it.
You can take Carisoprodol with or without food as prescribed by your doctor. Taking it with food may help to reduce upset stomach.
Soma may cause metabolic changes, including weight changes, both lost and increased weight for some individuals.

Why Would Someone Snort Medicines?

Most drugs require more effort to snort, such as antidepressants, opioid drugs, or tablet drugs. Certain prescription opioids have been developed to be "crush resistant." These tablets make it difficult for users to crush and snort them, though it is still possible. Drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, are commonly snorted as they come in a powdered or crystallized form that can be easily crushed into powder and inhaled. 

Snorting medications deliver the drug to the brain more quickly. It is one of the fastest routes of administration. When an individual snorts a drug, it bypasses the digestive tract and hepatic metabolism.

It is absorbed readily through the blood vessels lined inside the nose, where it travels through the bloodstream directly to the brain. This causes an individual to feel the drug's effects shortly after its administration.

Snorting drugs causes the release of large amounts of dopamine neurotransmitter that reinforces pleasurable activities.

Drugs that are commonly snorted include:

  • Benzodiazepines, such as Clonazepam and Alprazolam
  • Methamphetamine
  • Cocaine
  • Heroin
  • Ketamine
  • Synthetic cathinone (Bath salts)
  • Phencyclidine (PCP)
  • Prescription stimulants, such as methylphenidate and amphetamine
  • Prescription opioids, such as hydrocodone, fentanyl, and oxycodone  

Dangers Of Soma Snorting

Various risks are associated with snorting medications. One most significant risks are the danger of developing addiction and dependence. When an individual uses drugs, the release of dopamine serves as a behavioral reinforcement.

Snorting medicines affects the brain and body, making people want to keep using more, even when it adversely affects other areas of their lives. Over time, this can lead to dependence and addiction.

Although Soma has calming properties, its side effects, when taken excessively, replicate those of other sedatives. This medication causes dizziness, drowsiness, and relaxation when taken at doses higher than those recommended by the doctor. The long-term effects of Soma are usually reserved for those who have prolonged Abuse or addiction to the drug.

Teenagers and adults are more prone to drug addiction as they misuse Soma for pleasure and coping mechanisms formed by stress, Anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses. They consume Carisoprodol in harmful doses through inappropriate administrations, resulting in addiction and overdose, which puts their lives in danger. The snorting of Soma leads to:

  • Wheezing
  • Damage to the nasal cavity
  • Acute sinusitis
  • Overdose potential
  • Epistaxis (nosebleeds)
  • Sinusitis
  • Lethargy
  • Asthma
  • Anxiety
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Hoarseness 

Also, this will damage some body parts like the nose, liver, kidney, and brain. Additionally, this will cause the risk of overdose. People will use more than one dosage of Soma to get a quick result. Drug overdose will also cause serious harmful effects on your body.

Complications Of Snorting Medicines

Drug snorting is associated with addiction, dependence, and medical complications. It is crucial to note that intranasal drug delivery is beneficial when used for medical purposes. These (intranasal) drugs are generally formulated with non-irritating ingredients to prevent damage to nasal mucosal tissue.

This drug administration method allows medicines to be rapidly absorbed in the body and bypass the first-pass metabolism (liver), minimizing gastrointestinal side effects. Examples of drugs that use aerosolized intranasal delivery include the opioid overdose drug Narcan and anti-allergy nose sprays. 

While intranasal drug delivery is beneficial when used appropriately or prescribed by a medical practitioner, snorting drugs in powder or particle form for recreational purposes can lead to acute or chronic medical complications.

It can cause irritation and inflammation of the nostrils, nasal passages, and sinuses, which can cause sinusitis and irritate the mucosal lining of the nose to a point where the tissue is torn or dies, leading to perforation of the nasal septum. 

Although rare, snorting drugs also pose a risk of Pneumomediastinum and Subcutaneous emphysema.

These conditions are very harmful and could lead to complications such as:

  • Tracheobronchial ruptures
  • Airway compression
  • Tearing of the esophagus

Long-term snorting of drugs leads to the following conditions. Speak to your medical practitioner or medical support groups for medical assistance-

  • Chronic runny nose
  • Nose bleed
  • Hoarseness
  • Throat ulcers
  • Necrosis

Is Soma Addictive?

Soma has the potential for Abuse and addiction, especially Soma's formulation containing codeine. Soma's addiction may occur as a result of drug Abuse. Although Soma Abuse doesn't necessarily mean someone is addicted to the drug, this drug-taking behavior usually gives way to addiction if it's not stopped in time. 

Different ways of abusing Soma include:

  • Taking it without a prescription.
  • Taking higher doses than prescribed.
  • Taking it for an extended period.
  • Changing the form of administration, such as crushing and snorting the pills.
  • Mixing it with other drugs or alcohol.
  • When Soma is combined with other drugs such as narcotics, benzodiazepines, pain relievers, or alcohol (such a combination enhances effects).
  • Soma is recreationally consumed in dangerous methods such as snorting, smoking, or injecting.

The short-term effects of Soma abuse include sedation, euphoria, and drowsiness. A person who abuses this drug may seem intoxicated with alcohol because both produce similar depressant side effects. 

Other short-term effects of Soma include sleep disturbances, irritability, impaired judgment, and coordination. Carisoprodol abuse can increase one's risk of addiction, and the drug's sedative and cognitive-impairing side effects also improve one's risk of sustaining an injury due to poor coordination, car accidents, and unsafe sexual behaviors due to impaired judgment. 

Signs Of Soma Addictiveness

Addiction to Carisoprodol can drastically change a person's life. Addiction is a relapsing and chronic brain disease that encourages drug-seeking and using behaviors despite the negative consequences it may have on the individual's life. Those suffering from drug addiction will spend more time thinking about, obtaining, and using the substance than doing anything else.

They may neglect their home, school, or work responsibilities and withdraw from their loved ones. A substance use disorder can quickly deteriorate a person's life and overall well-being. 

When someone abuses any drug, they may show behavioral and physical changes. Common signs of Soma addiction and abuse include: 

  • Taking higher doses than prescribed
  • Taking the medication longer than prescribed
  • Stealing or forging prescriptions
  • Reduced engagement or performance at school, work, or home
  • Changes in sleep patterns
  • Mood swings
  • Appearing to have more or less energy than usual
  • Lying about losing prescriptions to get new ones
  • Doctor shopping or hopping from one doctor to another to get more prescriptions
  • Risky behaviors
  • Isolation from loved ones
  • Fluctuations in appetite and weight 

If you notice that your loved one is misusing their prescription drugs or recognize that their daily functioning has been affected by drug use, they may suffer an addiction. The prescribing physician should carefully monitor Carisoprodol and any other drug.

If you're taking this medication and notice that you're showing signs of dependence or struggling to control your use of Soma, speak to your doctor immediately about other safer Carisoprodol alternatives.

Possible Side Effects

The effects of Soma usually kick in within 30 minutes of its administration and may last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. Soma muscle relaxer causes sedation, muscle relaxation, and decreased anxiety. However, muscle relaxants like Carisoprodol can also cause various undesired side effects.

These side effects can become more severe and even life-threatening when the drug is abused. A severe reaction to the medication that requires immediate medical assistance.  

Common side effects

Severe side effects

  • Dizziness
  • Increased heart rate
  • Drowsiness
  • Fever
  • Headache 
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Poor motor control 
  • Stinging eyes
  • Impaired judgment
  • Seizure
  • Skin rash
  • Weakness

Drug Interactions

Soma is accounted to interact with several medicines. Taking Soma with these medications can cause an increased risk for side effects, such as drowsiness. These medicines include:

  • Alcohol
  • Omeprazole
  • Benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam, alprazolam)
  • Tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., doxepin, amitriptyline)
  • Meprobamate
  • Opioids (e.g., hydrocodone, morphine)
  • Taking Soma with rifampin or St. John's Wort may decrease the effects of Carisoprodol.

This list does not include all drugs that can interact with Soma. Before taking Soma, tell your healthcare provider about all the prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements, or herbs you are taking. This will help you avoid potential interactions. If you have any questions about drug interactions, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.

Also read

Bottom Line From Practical Anxiety Solutions

Soma is a safe and effective medication when used correctly. It helps people with musculoskeletal pain by acting as pain relief or a tranquilizer. However, it does have the potential for serious side effects. Soma can even be addictive; some people take it recreationally for its soothing effects. 

Snorting medicines can deliver the drug to the brain more quickly. Soma can cause many side effects, including metabolic problems, particularly if taken for long periods. Healthcare providers recommend people take this drug for no longer than three weeks to avoid side effects and dependence.

It affects the brain and body, making people want to keep using more, even when it adversely affects other areas of their lives. Over time, this can lead to dependence and addiction. Speak with your healthcare provider to learn if Soma is the proper medication for you and how to take the medication safely.

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