Tizanidine

Pronunciation

Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine is used as a skeletal muscle relaxant to reduce abnormal muscle contractions (spasms).
• Other uses include treatment of tension headaches, low back pain, and trigeminal neuralgia.

How does it work?

• Tizanidine decreases the body's release of adrenaline and other hormones that increase blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety.
• Pain control works by preventing the pain signal's transmission to the brain.

How is it best taken?

• Take with or without food. If you take this medicine with food, always take with food. If you take on an empty stomach, always take on an empty stomach.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Wear disease medical alert identification for high blood pressure.
• If you are 65 or older, you may have more side effects You could feel sleepy.
• You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives, tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are taking birth control pills.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.

What are the common side effects of this medicine?

• Feeling sleepy, tired, or unable to think clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Dizziness is common. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or lying position. Be careful climbing stairs.
• Dry mouth. Frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.

What should I monitor?

• Watch for improvement of symptoms. Are they better, worse, or about the same?
• Check blood work (liver function test). Talk with healthcare provider.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Too tired or sleepy.
• Nausea, vomiting, belly pain, feeling tired, having dark urine, yellow eyes or skin, and not hungry.
• Passing out, fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness.
• Any rash.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room temperature.

General statements

• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant)
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs, vitamins).

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