This belongs to the group of medicines known as muscle relaxants.

Zanaflex is used to treat conditions which cause the muscles to spasm, cramp or tighten such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and spinal injury.

Zanaflex works by relaxing the muscles and preventing spasms reducing any pain and discomfort.

Zanaflex is available in tablet form.

It is also sometimes known as: Zanaflex. You may notice the use of any of these names on the packaging of your medicine.

Why is this drug prescribed?

Tizanidine is a muscle relaxant drug that works by blocking the alpha-2-adrenoceptor in the brain and spinal cord. The effect of this is to "damp down" the signals sent to the muscles. In conditions where there is painful or disabling muscle spasm, baclofen can help to reduce stiffness and restore mobility.

Treatments

* Multiple sclerosis * Spinal cord injury or disease

What side effects can this drug cause?

* Dry mouth * Difficulty in sleeping * Drowsiness * Nausea * Fatigue * Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain * Low blood pressure * False perceptions of things that are not really there * Dizziness * Slow heart rate * Inflammation of the liver