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chlorzoxazone vs cyclobenzaprine

Side-by-side comparison of chlorzoxazone and cyclobenzaprine Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

Drug Class
chlorzoxazone Muscle Relaxant
cyclobenzaprine Muscle Relaxant
Type
chlorzoxazone Prescription
cyclobenzaprine Prescription
Summary
chlorzoxazone

Chlorzoxazone is a muscle relaxant. It helps to relieve discomfort from painful muscle problems.

cyclobenzaprine

Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant. It helps relieve muscle spasms and pain.

What It Treats
chlorzoxazone

This medicine treats discomfort from muscle problems. It is used with rest and physical therapy. It helps with acute, painful muscle and bone conditions.

cyclobenzaprine

This medicine treats muscle spasms caused by painful conditions. It is meant to be used with rest and physical therapy. It should only be used for a short time, usually 2 to 3 weeks.

How It Works
chlorzoxazone

The way this drug works is not fully known. It may work by making you feel sleepy. This medicine does not directly relax your muscles.

cyclobenzaprine

Cyclobenzaprine works in the brain and spinal cord to relax your muscles. It reduces muscle spasms, which helps to relieve pain and improve movement. It does not directly work on the muscles themselves.

Common Side Effects
chlorzoxazone
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Feeling unwell
  • Over-stimulation
cyclobenzaprine
  • Drowsiness
  • Dry mouth
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
FAERS Reports
chlorzoxazone
  • Feeling unsteady or lightheaded 94
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 94
  • Feeling very tired 92
  • General discomfort 90
  • Medicine not working 81
cyclobenzaprine
  • Pain 4,873
  • Tiredness 3,808
  • The medicine is not working 3,434
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 3,304
  • Headache 3,292
Serious Warnings
chlorzoxazone

If you are intolerant to chlorzoxazone, you should not take this medicine.

cyclobenzaprine

You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. You should not take this medicine if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor or have taken one in the past 14 days. Taking cyclobenzaprine with an MAO inhibitor can cause serious problems, including seizures and death. Also, do not take it if you have heart problems or an overactive thyroid.

Pregnancy
chlorzoxazone

Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.

cyclobenzaprine

It is not known if cyclobenzaprine can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Also Compare — Nearby Drugs

How to Read This chlorzoxazone vs cyclobenzaprine Comparison

chlorzoxazone is classified in the Muscle Relaxant drug class, while cyclobenzaprine sits within the Muscle Relaxant class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, chlorzoxazone has 451 submissions while cyclobenzaprine has 18,711. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between chlorzoxazone and cyclobenzaprine — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.