Choosing a Skeletal Muscle Relaxant

If you are in the higher dosage range for Zanaflex (i.e., taking up to three doses a day at max strength), then Flexeril may be less expensive on a per-day treatment basis if you are using it once daily. However, cost should not be your primary consideration when deciding between these two muscle relaxants. Flexeril, also known as cyclobenzaprine, is a muscle relaxant that works by blocking nerve impulses (or pain sensations) that are sent to your brain. However, these medications aren’t the first-line therapy for the treatment of pain or spasms.

• To achieve a sufficient reduction in muscle tone, the amount can be steadily increased by 2 mg to 4 mg at each dosage, with 1 to 4 days between dosage increases.
• If you think you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call your doctor immediately or call 911 (if within the United States).
• It was initially approved in 1996 for the treatment of muscle spasticity.
• However, these medications aren’t the first-line therapy for the treatment of pain or spasms.
• Anyone with muscle spasms and pain should consult a doctor, who may prescribe or recommend a muscle relaxer.

Although these medications are similar in numerous ways, they have some unique differences in their mechanism of action, side effects, and uses. This article outlines the similarities and differences between Tizanidine vs. Flexeril and discusses possible alternatives among muscle relaxants and other drug classes. Zanaflex may be harmful to the unborn baby according to animal studies. There have been no adequate animal or human studies that show Flexeril is harmful while pregnant. Muscle relaxers should only be used if there are clear benefits that outweigh potential risks.

Strength And Dosage For Zanaflex

Immediate-release tablets are commonly prescribed to be taken multiple times per day. The average retail cost for a cyclobenzaprine prescription can run around $42. You can also take advantage of a Flexeril coupon to get a reduced price of around $7 at a participating pharmacy. Cyclobenzaprine treatment with the immediate-release medication usually starts with an initial dose of 5 mg that is taken by mouth three times a day. The dosage may then be increased to 10 mg orally three times a day based on how the person responds. Treatment with the extended-release form starts with an initial dose of 15 mg once a day that may be increased to 30 mg based on the person’s response.

Traditional treatment with botulinum toxin injections comes at the cost of repeated needle sticks and provides only temporary relief. Adverse effects that were less common, found in 1–3% of patients, were abdominal pain, reflux, diarrhea, constipation, upper respiratory infection, dizziness, irritability, pharyngitis, nausea, nervousness. Of note, any medication with a side effect profile of drowsiness should be used with caution in the elderly, as this can lead to increased numbers of falls as well as impaired cognition. The FDA recommends to start elderly patients on the 5mg dose and slowly titrate to a therapeutic dose from there. Both medications are commonly known to alleviate muscle spasms and pain.

However, it is physically habit-forming, so taking it for extended periods of time can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms upon cessation. People should never stop taking Zanaflex without directions to do so from their doctor. Doctors will usually taper patients off Zanaflex slowly so they don’t go into withdrawal. Spasticity refers to spasms or tightness that occur when the muscles remain contracted and are resisting being stretched, affecting movement, gait, and speech. Deciding between the two depends on factors such as the type of muscle spasm or pain you are experiencing and their possible side effects and dosing.

All the muscle relaxants listed above are prescription medications, which need approval of a physician or other licensed prescriber. QuickMD can prescribe most muscle relaxants online via telemedicine, and the prescription is sent electronically to your pharmacy of choice. To talk with a doctor and see if a muscle relaxant is a good solution for you, get in touch with QuickMD today. Comparison between Baclofen vs. Tizanidine depicts the similarities between them. They are both administered to treat sustained muscle contractions due to debilitating musculoskeletal conditions like multiple sclerosis. However, unlike Zanaflex, Baclofen is a first-choice treatment for spasms.

Flexeril

They were approved by the FDA only a few years apart, with Flexeril having been available slightly longer than Zanaflex. Baclofen is a GABA-B agonist which leads to muscle relaxation and reduced secretion of substance P, thus reducing spasticity and pain. It is commonly used for muscle spasticity in patients with MS and spinal cord lesions. It is usually well tolerated, but attention must be given to avoid abrupt discontinuation. There is relatively more experience with baclofen treatment in CP, specifically for spasticity. Evidence supporting baclofen use is mostly anecdotal, and there is no significant body of evidence to support routine use currently.

It works in the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve muscle pain and spasms. Cyclobenzaprine is available in immediate-release and extended-release forms. Tizanidine (the generic name for Zanaflex) is a short-acting muscle relaxer, first approved by the FDA in 1996.

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But providers usually only prescribe them for brief periods due to the addiction potential of certain types. World-class, Accredited, 5-Star Reviewed, Effective Addiction & Mental Health Programs. Complete Behavioral Health Inpatient Rehab, Detox can tramadol and flexeril be taken together plus Co-occuring Disorders Therapy. Calls to our general hotline may be answered by private treatment providers. We may be paid a fee for marketing or advertising by organizations that can assist with treating people with substance use disorders.

Can You Get Addicted to Zanaflex or Flexeril?

If you experience neck or back strains, you may be recommended a muscle relaxant like Zanaflex or Flexeril. These drugs can also help relieve muscle spasms and stiffness related to other physical conditions and injuries. There are two broad categories of muscle relaxers (benzodiazepines and skeletal muscle relaxants), each of which acts on the nervous system in different ways. The drugs are usually not prescribed as the primary treatment of musculoskeletal pain but are rather reserved for when conservative treatments fail to provide relief. Muscle relaxers, also known as muscle relaxants, are a group of drugs with sedative properties. While people tend to think of sedatives as “sleeping pills,” the types used as muscle relaxers prevent nerve signals or pain impulses from reaching the brain.