Tizanidine

Excerpt

Tizanidine is an FDA-approved drug for managing spasticity. It is a centrally acting alpha-2 receptor agonist. Tizanidine effectively works with spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis, an acquired brain injury, or a spinal cord injury. It has also been shown to be clinically effective in managing patients suffering from chronic neck and lumbosacral neuralgia with a myofascial component to their pain and regional musculoskeletal pain syndromes. It is also prescribed off-label for migraine headaches, insomnia, and as an anticonvulsant. Tizanidine can also be applied as part of a detoxification therapy regimen in patients exhibiting analgesic rebound headaches to assist with analgesic withdrawal. This activity outlines the indications, mechanism of action, methods of administration, significant adverse effects, toxicity, and monitoring, of tizanidine so providers can direct patient therapy as part of the inter-professional team.