Prescription medication · Muscle Relaxant / Analgesic
orphenadrine
Also sold as Norflex. This medicine treats discomfort caused by painful muscle and bone problems.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 415
- FDA reports
- $5.74
- Generic price (NADAC)
orphenadrine (Norflex) is a prescription Muscle Relaxant / Analgesic. This medicine treats discomfort caused by painful muscle and bone problems.
Orphenadrine (Norflex) is a muscle relaxant that can help relieve discomfort from painful muscle problems. It should be used with rest and physical therapy.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$5.74/unit
Generic Available
Yes (6 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats discomfort caused by painful muscle and bone problems.
Common side effects
Dry mouth, Drowsiness, Dizziness
Key warnings
You should not take this medicine if you have glaucoma, a blockage in your stomach or small intestine, peptic ulcers that are getting smaller, an enlarged prostate, problems with your bladder, mega-esophagus, or myasthenia gravis.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from orphenadrine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Orphenadrine works by relaxing your muscles. It also has some pain-relieving effects. It mainly works by blocking certain nerve signals in the body.
How to Take It
Take two tablets each day. Take one tablet in the morning and one in the evening. You can take it with or without food. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully.
This is a plain-language summary of orphenadrine's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
This is a plain-language summary of orphenadrine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of orphenadrine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F in a tightly closed, light-resistant container.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 415 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for orphenadrine, by number of reports
- Pain
Pain
64 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
51 reports
- Feeling worried or nervous
Feeling worried or nervous
45 reports
- Feeling tired
Feeling tired
45 reports
- Joint pain
Joint pain
41 reports
- Head pain
Head pain
39 reports
- Loose stools
Loose stools
35 reports
- Feeling lightheaded
Feeling lightheaded
35 reports
- Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath
30 reports
- Throwing up
Throwing up
30 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Serious Warnings
You should not take this medicine if you have glaucoma, a blockage in your stomach or small intestine, peptic ulcers that are getting smaller, an enlarged prostate, problems with your bladder, mega-esophagus, or myasthenia gravis. Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to it.
Common Questions
Can I drive while taking this medicine?
Can I drink alcohol while taking this medicine?
What should I do if I have side effects?
Can I take this medicine with other medicines?
How long does it take for this medicine to work?
Can I stop taking this medicine suddenly?
What if I have trouble swallowing the tablet?
Is this medicine addictive?
Can this medicine affect my heart?
What do I do if I think I took too much?
What are the common side effects of orphenadrine?
What drug class is orphenadrine?
Is orphenadrine safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Muscle Relaxant / Analgesic
Other drugs grouped near orphenadrine - same-class peers and common alternatives.
baclofen
Lioresal, Gablofen
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant.
Compare with orphenadrine →
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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What the FDA Data Shows for orphenadrine
The FDA label for orphenadrine (sold under brand names such as Norflex) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Muscle Relaxant / Analgesic class. This medicine treats discomfort caused by painful muscle and bone problems. Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Dry mouth, Drowsiness, Dizziness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 415 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $5.74.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: January 1, 2026
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.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages