Combining Cyclobenzaprine and Ibuprofen: Is It Worth It?

Although called “muscle relaxants,” not all these medications have been shown to relax muscles in humans. In most cases, their mechanism of action for helping pain in unknown. Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers. Addiction Resource is not a healthcare provider, nor does it claim to offer sound medical advice to anyone.

It is best suited to treat minor aches and pain, and, of course, can help bring a temperature down if you have a fever. It is also a first-line recommended pain reliever for osteoarthritis, which you mentioned is a condition you have. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Flexeril usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour to work after being ingested to show relaxation activity.

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Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. Flexeril is a muscle relaxant and works by blocking the pathways of the neurotransmitters that signal pain.

We also excluded patients who were pregnant or lactating, unavailable for follow-up, with allergy or contraindication to the investigational medications, or had chronic opioid use currently or in the past. This article focuses on skeletal muscle relaxants, as opposed to smooth muscle relaxants. Smooth muscles are the muscles that you don’t have control over, like the muscles in your intestine, stomach and blood vessels. Tizanidine (Zanaflex) and baclofen (Lioresal) may reduce pain from muscle spasms.

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Yes, prescription muscle relaxers can make you sleepy due to how they affect your central nervous system. Because of this, you should be cautious about operating heavy machinery, such as driving a car, or making important decisions while taking these medications. can you take celebrex and flexeril together The next type of medication used for back pain are the muscle relaxants. These include Robaxin, Baclofen, Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) and Soma. The hydrocodone in Norco blocks the receptors on nerve cells in the brain that give rise to the sensation of pain.

Don’t just take our word for it; one randomized, double-blind clinical trial found that 42% of patients taking cyclobenzaprine with ibuprofen reported CNS side effects within 24 hours. Before mixing OTC painkillers with muscle relaxants, you need to evaluate whether this combination yields better results with fewer side effects than a single drug. Cyclobenzaprine is a drug prescribed to treat pain and discomfort. This page will go over its side effects, drug interactions, and treatment for misuse. The two main possible complications of taking muscle relaxers are the potential for overdose and dangerous interactions with alcohol.

• Because of the possibility of higher blood levels in the elderly as compared to younger adults, use of cyclobenzaprine extended-release capsules is not recommended in the elderly.
• This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice.
• You may report side effects to FDA at FDA-1088 or at /medwatch.
• Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines.

Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 3 Sep 2023), Cerner Multum™ (updated 28 Aug 2023), ASHP (updated 10 Aug 2023) and others. Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of cyclobenzaprine such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with cyclobenzaprine.

Evidence of Effectiveness

In a report from Pennsylvania, at larger doses, this can induce seizures and fatality. For safer use, it is highly recommended to speak with a medical doctor or ask for counseling from a pharmacist. Patients with low back pain or fibromyalgia may benefit from treatment with cyclobenzaprine. Recent evidence showed similar effectiveness at half of its manufacturer recommended dose (5 mg), but with fewer adverse effects.33 It may optimally be used in younger patients with limited or no medical conditions.

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Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at your own risk. Many patients won’t benefit from adding cyclobenzaprine to their ibuprofen prescription (or vice versa). Additionally, the combination can increase the patient’s odds of showing CNS side effects. All in all, you’ll want to stop cyclobenzaprine in 2–3 weeks and rely on physical therapy sessions to control the pain in the long term. However, physical therapy can also help reduce the risk of tolerance to cyclobenzaprine.

Soma seems to be quite effective in helping back pain, but because it is habit-forming, many doctors are reluctant to use it, especially long-term. The NSAIDs can reduce inflammation and pain, without most of the serious side effects of steroids, even if taken for many years. NSAIDs include Motrin, Advil, Naprosyn, Relafen, Mobic, Celebrex and many others.