Tizanidine is a muscle relaxant primarily used to manage spasticity. A standard drug screening panel typically does not include specific tests for the presence of this medication. Consequently, individuals undergoing routine drug testing for employment, legal, or medical purposes might be concerned about whether its use will be detected.
Understanding the scope of standard drug tests is important. Most panels are designed to identify common substances of abuse, such as opioids, amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, and phencyclidine (PCP). While these panels can be expanded to include other substances, this expansion is not typical, and is usually based on specific concerns or requirements. The absence of routine screening for tizanidine reflects its status as a prescription medication not generally considered a drug of abuse.