Skelaxin

Chronic Pain, Musculoskeletal Diseases

Treatment

4 FDA approvals

20 Active Studies for Skelaxin

What is Skelaxin

Metaxalone

The Generic name of this drug

Treatment Summary

Metaxalone is a medication used to relieve muscle pain, spasms, and strains. It works by temporarily depressing the central nervous system. Metaxalone is sold under the brand name Skelaxin® and comes in an 800 mg scored tablet. This drug has few side effects and is generally safe for most people to use.

Skelaxin

is the brand name

image of different drug pills on a surface

Skelaxin Overview & Background

Brand Name

Generic Name

First FDA Approval

How many FDA approvals?

Skelaxin

Metaxalone

1962

134

Approved as Treatment by the FDA

Metaxalone, otherwise called Skelaxin, is approved by the FDA for 4 uses which include Pain and Musculoskeletal Disorders .

Pain

Helps manage Pain

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Helps manage Musculoskeletal Disorders

Chronic Pain

Helps manage Pain

Musculoskeletal Diseases

Helps manage Musculoskeletal Disorders

Effectiveness

How Skelaxin Affects Patients

Metaxalone is a drug that helps relieve pain and discomfort from muscle issues. It works by helping people rest, and can also be used in conjunction with physical therapy. The exact way it works is not known, but may be related to its calming effects. Metaxalone does not work by directly relaxing tense muscles.

How Skelaxin works in the body

We are not sure how metaxalone works, but it likely works by calming the central nervous system.

When to interrupt dosage

The proposed dose of Skelaxin is contingent upon the perceived sickness. The amount of dosage is dependent on the method of delivery listed in the table beneath.

Condition

Dosage

Administration

Musculoskeletal Diseases

800.0 mg, , 400.0 mg, 640.0 mg

, Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Kit

Chronic Pain

800.0 mg, , 400.0 mg, 640.0 mg

, Oral, Tablet - Oral, Tablet, Kit

Warnings

There are 20 known major drug interactions with Skelaxin.

Common Skelaxin Drug Interactions

Drug Name

Risk Level

Description

Azelastine

Major

Metaxalone may increase the central nervous system depressant (CNS depressant) activities of Azelastine.

Ethanol

Major

Metaxalone may increase the central nervous system depressant (CNS depressant) activities of Ethanol.

Methylene blue

Major

Metaxalone may increase the serotonergic activities of Methylene blue.

Mirtazapine

Major

Metaxalone may increase the serotonergic activities of Mirtazapine.

Oliceridine

Major

The risk or severity of hypotension, sedation, death, somnolence, and respiratory depression can be increased when Metaxalone is combined with Oliceridine.

Skelaxin Toxicity & Overdose Risk

Tests on rats and mice have found that the toxic dose of the drug is 775mg/kg and 1690mg/kg respectively. As the dosage increases, symptoms such as sedation, hypnosis, and eventually difficulty breathing were observed. Dogs showed signs of nausea after 15-30 minutes of being given the drug. Other common side effects of overdose include vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and irritability.

image of a doctor in a lab doing drug, clinical research

Skelaxin Novel Uses: Which Conditions Have a Clinical Trial Featuring Skelaxin?

177 active clinical trials are presently being conducted to evaluate the potential of Skelaxin in treating Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Condition

Clinical Trials

Trial Phases

Musculoskeletal Diseases

2 Actively Recruiting

Not Applicable, Phase 2, Phase 3

Chronic Pain

130 Actively Recruiting

Not Applicable, Phase 4, Phase 2, Phase 3, Early Phase 1, Phase 1

Skelaxin Reviews: What are patients saying about Skelaxin?

5

Patient Review

2/16/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

This medication quickly and effectively alleviated my muscle cramps. I was previously taking Flexeril, which worked well for me until it was discontinued.

5

Patient Review

5/30/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I started taking this yesterday and it has already done wonders for my muscle spasms. I was in a lot of pain yesterday, but today I can walk and climb stairs with only some residual pain. So far there haven't been any negative side effects like upset stomach, which is great.

5

Patient Review

1/30/2015

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I'm glad I found this treatment. It's been really helpful, even though it can be tough to keep up with the recommended dosage schedule.

5

Patient Review

7/13/2015

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

Skelaxin was a huge help for me after I hurt my neck and shoulders. The pain was constant, but after a few weeks on this medication, it got much better. I could actually function again without being in constant pain.

5

Patient Review

6/19/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

Skelaxin is a really great relaxer, and it's helped me a lot. However, I find it to be quite expensive. Are there any other options out there that are cheaper but just as effective?

4.7

Patient Review

3/10/2015

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

This was a great treatment and I would definitely recommend it to others.

4.7

Patient Review

1/29/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I felt relief and relaxation from this treatment within one hour.

4.3

Patient Review

7/29/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I take half a pill of this treatment (100 mg) with advil when my lower back is in spasm and it usually takes care of the pain within a few days. I think some people may not be seeing results because they're taking too much of the medication - less is definitely more in this case.

4

Patient Review

11/12/2015

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

This medication is the only one we've tried that provides relief from muscle spasms almost immediately.

3.7

Patient Review

6/14/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I only took this drug when I experienced stress-induced spasms in my neck, and it worked great-- up until I developed a sensitivity to the medication. Once that happened, it started causing swelling in my hands and throat, as well as itchiness and tongue swelling. Super scary stuff.

3.7

Patient Review

6/1/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

Helps with spasms stemming from disk issues, but doesn't do much for the related pain. Unfortunately, I've also developed a pretty sizable hemorrhoid as a result of this medication.

3.3

Patient Review

5/5/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

After a week of taking this medication, I developed mouth sores. Has anyone else had this issue?

2.7

Patient Review

1/22/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I didn't find this medication helpful at all for my back pain. The only difference I noticed was that I had very vivid dreams! If you're considering this medication, I hope you have better luck than I did.

2.7

Patient Review

7/24/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I have terrible leg cramps that start from my hips and go all the way down to my toes. They usually last for about two hours, during which time my feet turn inward. I'm currently going through tests to try and find the cause, and in the meantime my doctor prescribed Skelaxin. It does help a little bit, but it doesn't completely stop the cramping.

2.3

Patient Review

7/26/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I've had severe spasms for 35 years and this is the only muscle relaxant that has worked for me, albeit not very long-lasting.

2

Patient Review

3/4/2014

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

I'm 80 years old and I injured my back. I've been taking this medication three times a day for two days, but haven't seen any improvement. In fact, Aleve worked better for me.

1

Patient Review

5/30/2018

Skelaxin for Muscle Spasm

Terrible experience. Vomiting, stomach aches, racing heart, insomnia. I had to drink a gallon of milk just to feel better. Would not recommend this medication to anyone.
image of drug pills surrounding a glass of water symbolizing drug consumption

Patient Q&A Section about skelaxin

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Is Skelaxin a strong muscle relaxer?

"No, metaxalone does not relieve pain from other sources such as inflammatory or nerve pain."

Answered by AI

Is Skelaxin an anti inflammatory?

"Metaxalone is a skeletal muscle relaxant that is classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and an analgesic (painkiller)."

Answered by AI

What is Skelaxin 800 mg prescribed for?

"Skelaxin is a prescription medication used to treat the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain. Skelaxin can be used alone or with other medications. Skelaxin is a type of drug called a Skeletal Muscle Relaxant."

Answered by AI

Is Skelaxin the same as Flexeril?

"Both Skelaxin and Flexeril are used to treat painful muscle spasms and have similar side effects including drowsiness, dizziness, headache, nausea or stomach upset/pain."

Answered by AI

Clinical Trials for Skelaxin

Image of Cincinnati Urogynecology Associates in Cincinnati, United States.

Nitrous Oxide for Pain During Bladder Botox Injections

18+
Female
Cincinnati, OH

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess if a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen can improve pain control during bladder Botox injections. The primary question it aims to answer is: Does using nitrous oxide lower the overall level of pain during the procedure? Researchers will compare a 50:50 nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture (administered with the Pro-Nox system) plus standard care (with lidocaine in the bladder) to sham mask plus standard care to see if nitrous oxide works better for lowering pain. Participants will: * Receive their bladder Botox injection in the office setting * Either use nitrous oxide/oxygen plus standard care during the procedure, or sham mask plus standard care * Answer brief questions about pain, anxiety, satisfaction, and willingness to repeat the procedure

Phase 4
Waitlist Available

Cincinnati Urogynecology Associates (+1 Sites)

Image of AltaSciences, Inc in Cypress, United States.

SBS-147 Safety Study

18 - 55
All Sexes
Cypress, CA

This study is part of the HEAL Initiative supported by the NIH. The purpose of this study is to learn how safe the study drug, SBS-147, is and how people's bodies respond to and process it. Researchers will also look for any side effects that may occur when taking SBS-147. Some participants will receive SBS-147, and others will receive a placebo, which looks the same but does not contain any medicine. This helps researchers fairly compare results. The study includes two parts: Single-Dose Group, where Participants receive SBS-147 or placebo one time. Multiple-Dose Group, where Participants receive SBS-147 or placebo once or twice daily for 7 days.

Phase 1
Waitlist Available

AltaSciences, Inc

Jeff Reich, MD

Sparian Biosciences, Inc

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Image of Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, United States.

Suzetrigine for Total Hip Replacement

18 - 80
All Sexes
New York, NY

Total hip and knee joint replacements are among the most common and painful orthopedic procedures performed worldwide, often requiring intensive analgesia to support early ambulation and recovery. Despite widespread use of multimodal regimens, many patients still rely on opioids, which can cause sedation, nausea, constipation, and long-term dependency. Evaluating Suzetrigine in this high-need population may improve recovery trajectories, reduce opioid consumption, and support enhanced recovery protocols. Given the growing surgical volume and the emphasis on opioid-sparing strategies, rigorous investigation of Suzetrigine's efficacy in joint replacement is of high clinical value. In this study, patients undergoing primary total hip replacement will be randomized to receive either Suzetrigine or placebo for seven days, with the loading dose administered prior to surgery. The primary outcome is cumulative 48-hour opioid consumption in oral morphine equivalents starting from entry into the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).

Phase 3
Recruiting

Hospital for Special Surgery

Image of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, United States.

Lidocaine Infusions for Postoperative Pain

18+
All Sexes
Nashville, TN

The goal of this single-center, pragmatic, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial is to evaluate the impact of intravenous (IV) lidocaine within the existing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)program on outcomes in patients after major abdominal surgery. The main questions the trial aims to answer are: The primary hypothesis is that utilization of IV lidocaine as part of a perioperative multimodal pain regimen will result in a reduction in hospital Case Mix Index-Adjusted Resource Length of Stay (CARLOS). The secondary hypotheses are that lidocaine infusion will result in a reduction in total inpatient opioid consumption (oral morphine milligram equivalents, oMMEs) and pain scores, and improved surgical outcomes (including return of bowel function, ileus, nausea, rapid responses called, surgical site infections, and ICU transfers), while also having minimal incidence of side effects (including double/blurry vision, tinnitus, sedation, and adverse events requiring early cessation).

Phase 4
Waitlist Available

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Danial Shams, MD

Image of Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital in Austin, United States.

Guided Imagery Therapy for Abdominal Pain

7 - 12
All Sexes
Austin, TX

Chronic abdominal pain is common among children, and the majority of cases are attributed to functional abdominal pain disorders. One approach to treating these disorders is by using psychological therapies. This clinical trial aims to see how well pre-recorded guided imagery therapy sessions help children's abdominal pain when delivered via a mobile application (app) on a smartphone or tablet. Participants will complete a baseline abdominal pain and stooling diary to determine eligibility, as well as other surveys. Eligible participants will be given access to the guided imagery therapy mobile application. This intervention asks participants to listen to a 10- to 15-minute GIT session 5 out of 7 days per week for 8 weeks, in addition to their usual care for their abdominal pain. Then, participants will complete another abdominal pain and stooling diary, along with other psychometric surveys, at the end of this intervention period. Participants will also collect another diary and surveys 3 months post-treatment.

Waitlist Available
Has No Placebo

Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital (+1 Sites)

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