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chlorzoxazone vs metaxalone

Side-by-side comparison of chlorzoxazone and metaxalone 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
metaxalone Muscle Relaxant
Type
chlorzoxazone Prescription
metaxalone Prescription
Summary
chlorzoxazone

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

metaxalone

Metaxalone is a muscle relaxant. It helps relieve discomfort from painful muscle and bone problems.

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.

metaxalone

Metaxalone treats the pain and discomfort caused by muscle problems. It is used along with rest and physical therapy. It does not directly relax your muscles, but it can make you feel sleepy, which may help.

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.

metaxalone

The exact way metaxalone works is not fully known. It is thought to work by making you feel sleepy. This can help to relieve muscle pain.

Common Side Effects
chlorzoxazone
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Feeling unwell
  • Over-stimulation
metaxalone
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Nervousness or irritability
  • Nausea
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
metaxalone
  • Suicide 261
  • The medicine didn't work 202
  • Tiredness 196
  • Pain 195
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 190
Serious Warnings
chlorzoxazone

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

metaxalone

Metaxalone can cause sleepiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you. Using metaxalone with alcohol, opioids, or other drugs that cause sleepiness can be dangerous. A potentially life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome has been reported when metaxalone is used with certain other drugs.

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.

metaxalone

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

Also Compare — Nearby Drugs

How to Read This chlorzoxazone vs metaxalone Comparison

chlorzoxazone is classified in the Muscle Relaxant drug class, while metaxalone 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 metaxalone has 1,044. 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 metaxalone — 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.