Differences Between Tizanidine Zanaflex and Flexeril
Muscle relaxants are a somewhat common prescription due to the frequency of acute and chronic back pain. Low back pain is a very common issue — it remains among the top five reasons people see a primary healthcare provider. If other treatments don’t work to alleviate the pain, providers may recommend a muscle relaxant.
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Both medications are available in generic forms, making them affordable options for most patients. However, both may require an adjustment period since their full effect might not be noticeable immediately. In this blog post, we’ll explore some key differences between both medications to help you determine which option would offer better relief for your condition. AddictionResource aims to present the most accurate, trustworthy, and up-to-date medical content to our readers.
Conditions treated by Zanaflex and Flexeril
For example, Zanaflex (tizanidine) is used to treat muscle spasticity linked to MS and spinal cord injuries while cyclobenzaprine is used to treat skeletal muscle pain and spasms. Cyclobenzaprine is available in extended-release formulations while tizanidine is not. Zanaflex is a relatively new medicine that has been licensed by the FDA to treat muscle spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury. Flexeril is an older medication that has been examined extensively for musculoskeletal pain and spasms. The better medicine is the one that is most effective for your condition. Consult a doctor for assistance in determining the best course of action for you (Dickerson, L.M., 2010).
However, tizanidine treatment starts at 2-4 mg taken three times a day while cyclobenzaprine treatment starts at 5-10mg taken three times per day. Tizanidine and cyclobenzaprine are muscle relaxants that help treat muscle pain from fibromyalgia. The effectiveness of these medications hasn’t been compared in clinical studies, so we don’t know if one is more effective than the other. Two muscle relaxants called Zanaflex and Flexeril are among the drugs used to treat fibromyalgia. These drugs aren’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating fibromyalgia, but both are commonly prescribed as an off-label medication. Zanaflex may be harmful to the unborn baby according to animal studies.
What are the possible risks or complications of taking muscle relaxers?
If you need medication to reduce muscle spasms, there are many options on the market. Your doctor will help you decide the best option for you based on your medical does flexeril help with inflammation history, types of spasms, allergies, current medications, etc. These medications are all used for different purposes and help with muscle spasms in different ways.
Zanaflex’s half-life is roughly 2.5 hours, while Flexeril’s half-life is 18 hours. It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your physician or dial 911. Both Zanaflex and Flexeril can interact with drugs that have CNS depressant effects. These types of drugs include barbiturates, opioids, and benzodiazepines.
- Alcohol and muscle relaxers are both depressants, which means they slow down your central nervous system.
- Because of its sedative properties, Valium can be used to treat sleep disorders.
- Your healthcare provider and/or pharmacist will give you specific instructions on how to take the medication.
Our team does their best for our readers to help them stay informed about vital healthcare decisions. 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. When switching drugs, it is vital to choose one of the reputable rehabilitation centers in the US to get expert assistance to ensure proper management of dependence or withdrawal symptoms. In contrast, Alprazolam causes severe after-effects such as memory loss, decreased libido, and speech disturbances and is also habit-forming.
When you feel ready or just want someone to speak to about therapy alternatives to change your life call us. Even if we cannot assist you, we will lead you to wherever you can get support. Both Cyclobenzaprine and Tizanidine can interfere with other drugs you may be taking, especially those that affect the central nervous system, including barbiturates and opioids. Like Tizanidine, Methocarbamol, a generic name for Robaxin, has sedative effects and can be used to treat sleep difficulties. Methocarbamol and Tizanidine share specific side effects like constipation and dizziness.
Most doctors will wean you off Tizanidine instead of having you quit cold turkey. They can include dizziness, anxiety, blood pressure changes, muscle stiffening, heart rate changes, and more. By weaning off the medication, you may not experience any of these symptoms. In extreme cases, with some of the worst side effects, doctors may need to give you something to help you come off the medicine. The greatest appeal to many people who need help with muscle spasms is that Tizanidine is not a narcotic.
However, these medications aren’t the first-line therapy for the treatment of pain or spasms. They’re alternative therapy after first- or second-line therapies haven’t worked. This is due to the adverse side effects of antispasmodics, including addiction potential for some types of the medication. Tizanidine acts directly on motor neurons in the spinal cord, leading to a more potent reduction in muscle tone and spasticity. Conversely, Cyclobenzaprine primarily works as a central nervous system depressant, targeting the brain and spinal cord to alleviate muscle spasms. It relieves spasms, cramping, and tightness of the muscles caused by medical problems, such as multiple sclerosis or certain injuries to the spine.
