chlorzoxazone vs methocarbamol

PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.

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

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

methocarbamol

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

methocarbamol

This medicine treats the discomfort caused by painful muscle problems. It is used along with rest and physical therapy. It does not directly relax your muscles.

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.

methocarbamol

Methocarbamol is a central nervous system depressant. It likely works by making you feel calm and relaxed. This may help to relieve muscle discomfort.

Common Side Effects
chlorzoxazone
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Feeling unwell
  • Over-stimulation
methocarbamol
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea
FAERS Reports
chlorzoxazone
  • Dizziness 94
  • Nausea 94
  • Fatigue 92
  • Pain 90
  • Headache 72
methocarbamol
  • Pain 1,639
  • Nausea 1,565
  • Fatigue 1,531
  • Headache 1,201
  • Diarrhoea 1,078
Serious Warnings
chlorzoxazone

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

methocarbamol

Methocarbamol can interact with alcohol and other drugs that affect your central nervous system. Be careful when taking these together.

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.

methocarbamol

It is not known if methocarbamol 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 methocarbamol Comparison

chlorzoxazone is classified in the Muscle Relaxant drug class, while methocarbamol 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 442 submissions while methocarbamol has 7,014. 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 represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for chlorzoxazone or methocarbamol.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.