Lower back pain
Carisoprodol is a centrally acting muscle relaxant commonly used for back pain. In several studies it was found to be superior to placebo in relieving stiffness, increasing movement, and leading to general improvement. In comparative study carisoprodol was better than propoxyphene in relieving stiffness and increasing movement. In the other comparative study carisoprodol was superior to diazepam for relieving the symptoms of acute lower back pain.

The results of a double-blind study that compared carisoprodol, butabarbital, and placebo, have shown the effectiveness of carisoprodol in the treatment of the low back pain syndrome. Carisoprodol was found to be significantly more effective in providing both subjective pain relief and objective improvements in range of motion when evaluated by finger to floor testing. The results of this study suggest that the effects of carisoprodol are not secondary to its sedative effects alone, but are also related to its muscle relaxant activity.

Fibromyalgia
In a study of patients with fibromyalgia, carisoprodol compound (carisoprodol/paracetamol/caffeine) was found to be superior to placebo in alleviating pain, inducing sleep, and minimizing the general feeling of being sick.