Medication class
Muscle Relaxants
Skeletal muscle relaxants for muscle spasms, back pain, and musculoskeletal conditions.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 10
- Medications
- 9
- With a generic
- 94%
- Avg generic savings
- 0
- In active shortage
Drug class assignments follow the FDA openFDA therapeutic classification, and clinical details are drawn from FDA Structured Product Labeling (DailyMed). See the full sources below.
PlainMeds tracks 10 muscle relaxants medications compiled from official FDA drug labels, including baclofen, cyclobenzaprine, tizanidine.
Muscle Relaxants medications are grouped here by the openFDA therapeutic classification and drawn from FDA Structured Product Labeling. PlainMeds lists 10 in this class, 9 with a lower-cost generic available (averaging about 94% versus brand). Each drug page covers labeled uses, FAERS-reported side effects, interactions, recalls and NADAC pricing. This is educational information from public data, not medical advice.
What muscle relaxants drugs cost
Highest NADAC acquisition cost per unit in this class, brand and generic
- carisoprodol
carisoprodol
$10 per unit
- orphenadrine
orphenadrine
$6 per unit
- metaxalone $3
metaxalone
$3 per unit
- dantrolene $1
dantrolene
$1 per unit
- chlorzoxazone $0
chlorzoxazone
$0 per unit
- tizanidine $0
tizanidine
$0 per unit
- baclofen $0
baclofen
$0 per unit
- methocarbamol $0
methocarbamol
$0 per unit
- cyclobenzaprine $0
cyclobenzaprine
$0 per unit
What this shows carisoprodol is the costliest in this class at $10.00/unit; generics in the same class run a fraction of that.
Generic availability vs other classes
90% of muscle relaxants medications have a generic available, ranking #3 of 22 therapeutic classes (the typical class sits near 74%).
Source: CMS NADAC generic-availability flags across all PlainMeds therapeutic classes. The dot is this class; the line is the cross-class median.
baclofen
Lioresal, Gablofen
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant.
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botulinum toxin A
Botox
Botox is a drug that blocks nerve signals to muscles.
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carisoprodol
Soma
Carisoprodol is a muscle relaxant.
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chlorzoxazone
Parafon Forte
Chlorzoxazone is a muscle relaxant.
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cyclobenzaprine
Flexeril, Amrix
Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant.
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dantrolene
Dantrium
Dantrolene is a muscle relaxant.
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metaxalone
Skelaxin
Metaxalone is a muscle relaxant.
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methocarbamol
Robaxin
Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant.
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orphenadrine
Norflex
Orphenadrine (Norflex) is a muscle relaxant that can help relieve discomfort from painful muscle problems.
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tizanidine
Zanaflex
Tizanidine is a muscle relaxant.
View details →
Understanding the Muscle Relaxants Category
The Muscle Relaxants category currently lists 10 medications in this database, each drawn from FDA drug labels and grouped by therapeutic classification. Skeletal muscle relaxants for muscle spasms, back pain, and musculoskeletal conditions. Clinical guidelines usually treat these medications as a reference set when weighing treatment options, switching strategies, or comparing safety profiles.
Within this category you'll find examples such as baclofen, cyclobenzaprine, tizanidine, alongside 7 other entries. Each drug page links to the same underlying FDA data, labeled uses, adverse events reported to FAERS, documented interactions, warnings, and, where available, NADAC acquisition pricing from CMS. Over-the-counter and prescription options can sit in the same category but follow different regulatory pathways: OTC products have simplified labeling aimed at self-care, while prescription drugs include detailed monographs meant for clinicians. That distinction matters when comparing dosing, monitoring requirements, and contraindications.
Browsing a category is a research starting point, not a treatment recommendation. Effectiveness, tolerability, and cost for any individual patient depend on the specific condition, comorbidities, other medications, genetics, and insurance coverage, none of which can be inferred from a category list alone. FAERS report counts, recall history, and shortage status all evolve as new data is reported to the FDA, so the relative standing of drugs in this class can shift month to month. This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, a licensed clinician is the right source for personalized guidance.
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Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.