Choosing a Skeletal Muscle Relaxant

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with Flexeril. It is unknown if Flexeril passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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This means your doctor will need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription.

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

It’s important to thoroughly inform your doctor about all of your medical conditions because muscle relaxants might not be suitable for certain diseases and conditions. Flexeril (generic name cyclobenzaprine) was developed in the 1970s. Flexeril works on the central nervous system to reduce motor activity or muscle contractions, thus, relieving muscle spasms. Please continue reading to learn about the similarities and differences between methocarbamol and cyclobenzaprine, including how they work, their side effects, drug interactions, cost, and more.

• Keep in mind that along with medications for short-term alleviation of pain and discomfort, rest and physical therapy can help with long-term pain relief and function.
• Physical examination data were listed, and any new physical findings were summarized.
• Some people prefer Fexmid and Amrix over Robaxin because it is dosed once a day rather than 3 to 4 times a day.
• As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for longer.
• Flexeril, the brand name for cyclobenzaprine, is a muscle relaxant prescribed for mild to moderate muscle pain relief.

However, doctors don’t typically prescribe Flexeril alone. It is generally used alongside physical therapy and rest. Adverse events (AE) were recorded at all study visits or as they occurred. Blood chemistry tests (including thyroid-stimulating hormone at screening only), hematology tests, and urinalysis were performed at screening and on Days −1 and 56.

Patient Handout

The use of significant lower dosing schedules in elderly patients may be prudent. Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially drowsiness, confusion, constipation, or trouble urinating. Drowsiness and confusion can increase the risk of falling. Before taking cyclobenzaprine, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.

Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe. Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. If this medication upsets your stomach, take it with food or milk.

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Skeletal muscle relaxants are widely used in treating musculoskeletal conditions. However, evidence of their effectiveness consists mainly of studies with poor methodologic design. In addition, these drugs have not been proven to be superior to acetaminophen or nonsteroidal what is the maximum dose of flexeril anti-inflammatory drugs for low back pain. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses support using skeletal muscle relaxants for short-term relief of acute low back pain when nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen are not effective or tolerated.

Selection of a skeletal muscle relaxant should be individualized to the patient. If there are tender spots over the muscle or trigger points on physical examination, a skeletal muscle relaxant is a reasonable adjunct to analgesic treatment of low back pain. Skeletal muscle relaxants may also be used as an alternative to NSAIDs in patients who are at risk of gastrointestinal or renal complications.

If you experience these adverse effects, please seek emergency medical attention. Some people prefer Fexmid and Amrix over Robaxin because it is dosed once a day rather than 3 to 4 times a day. On the other hand, they can cause more adverse effects such as dry mouth and drowsiness. Taking Flexeril in the recommended dosage and for the right length of time should pose little to no risk of dependence or addiction forming. Abusing the drug in higher doses or combining it with other central nervous system depressants like benzodiazepines increases the risk of addiction as well as the potential for overdose. Cyclobenzaprine relieves skeletal muscle spasm of local origin without interfering with muscle function.

What is this drug used for?

Drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, abdominal pain, acid regurgitation, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, irritability, mental acuity decreased, nervousness. Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed.