Flospasm is flavoxate 200 mg, an antispasmodic for the bladder. It relieves urinary urgency, frequency, night-time waking to pass urine, and the painful spasm and burning that follow bladder infections or urological procedures. It relaxes the bladder muscle rather than treating what irritated it.
What is Flospasm?
Flospasm is a Schedule 2 film-coated tablet containing flavoxate hydrochloride 200 mg, listed in the South African Medicine Price Registry. Schedule 2 means it is available from a pharmacy without a prescription, with the pharmacist involved.
Flavoxate is a urinary antispasmodic with anticholinergic and direct muscle-relaxant effects. The bladder wall is smooth muscle — the detrusor — and when it contracts involuntarily, the result is a sudden urgent need to pass urine, sometimes with cramping pain, sometimes with leakage.
Flavoxate relaxes that muscle directly and dampens the nerve signals driving it. The bladder can then hold more urine before signalling, so urgency eases and trips to the toilet become less frequent.
It is generally regarded as milder than the modern anticholinergics such as oxybutynin and solifenacin — less effective for established overactive bladder, but also causing fewer dry-mouth and cognitive side effects. That trade-off makes it a reasonable choice for short-term symptomatic relief, particularly in older people where anticholinergic side effects matter more.
It treats the symptom, not the cause. This is the central point. Flavoxate relieves bladder spasm; it does nothing about an infection, a stone, an enlarged prostate or anything else producing that spasm.
What is Flospasm commonly used for?
- Urinary urgency and frequency — the sudden compelling need to pass urine, and passing it often.
- Nocturia — waking at night to pass urine.
- Dysuria — burning or painful urination, as symptomatic relief.
- Bladder spasm and suprapubic pain.
- Symptomatic relief alongside a urinary tract infection, while an antibiotic treats the infection itself.
- After urological procedures — catheterisation, cystoscopy, prostate surgery — where bladder spasm is common and genuinely uncomfortable.
- Urge incontinence, as an option.
- Bladder symptoms in prostatitis or cystitis, symptomatically.
Two things it must not be used to do:
It must not replace an antibiotic for a urinary infection. Relieving the burning while bacteria multiply allows an infection to climb to the kidneys. If you have burning, frequency and urgency, the question is whether you have an infection — and that needs a urine test, not just symptom relief.
It must not be used to manage symptoms of an unexamined cause. Urinary urgency has many causes — infection, stones, an enlarged prostate, diabetes, bladder cancer, neurological conditions. Ongoing symptoms deserve a diagnosis.
How Flospasm fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Urinary antispasmodics | Flavoxate (Flospasm) | Bladder spasm, urgency; milder anticholinergic effects |
| Anticholinergics | Oxybutynin, solifenacin, tolterodine | Overactive bladder; more effective, more side effects |
| Beta-3 agonists | Mirabegron | Overactive bladder without anticholinergic effects |
| Alpha blockers | Tamsulosin, doxazosin | Prostate-related urinary symptoms in men |
| Urinary analgesics | Phenazopyridine | Numbs the urinary tract; symptomatic only |
| Antibiotics | Nitrofurantoin, ciprofloxacin | Treat the infection itself |
The last row is what actually treats a urinary infection. See the general medicines hub.
What to check before using Flospasm
Flavoxate must not be used if there is an obstruction. Relaxing a bladder that cannot empty makes retention worse, so it is contraindicated in:
- Obstruction of the bladder outlet or urinary tract
- Obstruction of the stomach or intestine, including pyloric obstruction
- Gastrointestinal haemorrhage
- Achalasia or ileus
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:
- Have an enlarged prostate. Men with prostate enlargement can go into urinary retention on an antispasmodic — which is a painful emergency.
- Have glaucoma, particularly narrow-angle glaucoma.
- Have myasthenia gravis.
- Have heart disease or a rapid heart rate.
- Have kidney or liver disease.
- Are elderly. Anticholinergic medicines contribute to confusion and falls in older people, and the effects of several such medicines add up — flavoxate is milder than most, but it still counts.
- Take other anticholinergic medicines — some antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, Parkinson’s medicines, or other bladder medicines.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Practical points:
- Take it as directed, usually three or four times daily.
- Do not drive until you know how it affects you — blurred vision and drowsiness are possible.
- Do not use it for more than a few days without advice.
- Get a urine test if you have burning or frequency, rather than treating symptoms blind.
- Drink normally. Cutting fluids to reduce trips concentrates urine and usually makes symptoms worse.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Common effects are anticholinergic in character: dry mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, constipation, headache and sometimes a fast heartbeat.
Get emergency help for:
- Inability to pass urine, with a full, painful lower abdomen — acute urinary retention. This is the specific risk of this class, and it is an emergency.
- Severe eye pain, blurred vision with halos around lights, and a red eye — possible acute angle-closure glaucoma.
- Confusion, hallucinations or marked agitation, particularly in older people.
- A fast or irregular heartbeat, or fainting.
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a widespread rash.
Contact your doctor if:
- Symptoms are not improving within a few days.
- You develop fever, chills, back or flank pain, nausea or vomiting — the infection may have reached the kidneys, and this needs antibiotics urgently.
- There is blood in your urine. This always needs investigation, even if it settles.
- You have new or worsening urinary symptoms without an explanation.
- You are male with a weak stream, hesitancy or dribbling — prostate assessment is more useful than an antispasmodic.
- Symptoms are recurring, or you are using this repeatedly.
- You experience unexplained weight loss, night pain or persistent pelvic pain.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Flospasm used for? Bladder spasm, urinary urgency and frequency, night-time waking to pass urine, and painful urination — including after urological procedures and alongside treatment for a urinary infection. It contains flavoxate 200 mg.
Does it treat a urinary infection? No. It relieves the symptoms. An infection needs an antibiotic, and using symptom relief alone can allow it to reach the kidneys.
Do I need a prescription? No. It is Schedule 2 — available from a pharmacy without one, with the pharmacist’s involvement.
How is it different from oxybutynin? Flavoxate is milder — generally less effective for established overactive bladder, but with fewer dry-mouth and cognitive side effects.
Can men with prostate problems take it? Only with advice. An antispasmodic can tip a man with prostate enlargement into urinary retention, which is a painful emergency.
Should I drink less to reduce trips to the toilet? No. Cutting fluids concentrates urine and usually worsens irritation. Drink normally.
How long can I take it? A few days without advice. Persistent symptoms need a diagnosis rather than continued symptom relief.
What if there is blood in my urine? See a doctor. Blood in the urine always needs investigating, even if it settles on its own.