Xefo contains lornoxicam 4 mg, a potent anti-inflammatory painkiller. It treats acute pain — after surgery or dental work, back pain and sciatica — and the pain and stiffness of arthritis. It is short-acting for an oxicam, and carries the usual NSAID stomach and kidney cautions.
What is Xefo?
Xefo contains lornoxicam, commonly as 4 mg and 8 mg tablets. It is a Schedule 3 medicine.
Lornoxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug of the oxicam family, alongside piroxicam and meloxicam. It blocks cyclo-oxygenase enzymes, reducing the prostaglandins that drive inflammation, swelling and pain. Those same prostaglandins protect the stomach lining and support kidney blood flow, which is where the risks come from.
Two features distinguish it within its family.
It is potent. Lornoxicam is effective at small amounts — 4 or 8 mg where other NSAIDs are dosed in hundreds of milligrams. That is a difference in potency, not in safety: the risks belong to the class rather than the milligram count.
It is short-acting, which is unusual for an oxicam. Piroxicam stays in the body around two days and meloxicam is taken once daily; lornoxicam clears within hours and is taken two or three times a day.
That matters practically. A short-acting NSAID suits acute pain, where you want an effect that can be stopped quickly — and it avoids the drawback of a long-acting one, where exposure continues for days if a problem develops.
What is Xefo commonly used for?
- Acute post-operative pain, including after dental surgery.
- Acute back pain and sciatica.
- Osteoarthritis, for pain and stiffness.
- Rheumatoid arthritis, alongside disease-modifying treatment.
- Acute musculoskeletal pain — sprains, strains, soft tissue injury.
- Period pain.
- Renal colic, in some settings, where NSAIDs are genuinely effective.
Its main niche is acute pain of moderate intensity, where a strong effect is wanted for a short defined period.
For chronic joint conditions, it can be used, though a once-daily option is often more practical for something taken every day.
As with any anti-inflammatory in arthritis, it relieves symptoms rather than altering the disease. In osteoarthritis it does not repair cartilage; in rheumatoid arthritis, preventing joint damage is the job of disease-modifying medicines such as methotrexate.
How Xefo fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Simple analgesics | Paracetamol (Donapan) | Pain and fever; no anti-inflammatory action |
| Standard NSAIDs | Ibuprofen, diclofenac | Anti-inflammatory; stomach and kidney cautions |
| Oxicams | Lornoxicam (Xefo), meloxicam, piroxicam | Potent; lornoxicam is the short-acting one |
| COX-2 selective | Celecoxib (Colcibra), etoricoxib (Azcura) | Gentler on the stomach |
| Corticosteroids | Prednisone | Far stronger; short courses |
See the pain, inflammation and musculoskeletal medicines hub.
What to check before using Xefo
Take it with food, and use the lowest amount for the shortest period that works.
Never combine it with another anti-inflammatory — including over-the-counter ibuprofen and combination painkillers such as Mybulen or Gen-Payne, which contain one already.
Do not assume the small number means a mild medicine. 4 mg of lornoxicam is a full anti-inflammatory dose, and all the class cautions apply.
Tell your prescriber or pharmacist if:
- You have a history of stomach ulcers, bleeding, reflux or gastritis.
- You have kidney disease, or become dehydrated easily.
- You have heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, or have had a stroke.
- You have liver disease.
- You have asthma. A minority of people with asthma react badly to NSAIDs.
- You have a bleeding disorder, or are due surgery — NSAIDs affect platelets.
- You take blood thinners, low-dose aspirin, a corticosteroid, an SSRI antidepressant, a diuretic, an ACE inhibitor, lithium or methotrexate.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding. NSAIDs are generally avoided in pregnancy, particularly the third trimester.
- You are over 65, where stomach and kidney risks are higher.
Follow the dispensing label. This page does not set doses.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Stomach. NSAIDs are the leading medicine-related cause of stomach bleeding, and ulceration can occur without preceding pain. Risk rises with duration, age, alcohol, and combination with steroids, blood thinners or SSRIs. Anyone at higher risk may be given a stomach-protecting medicine alongside.
Kidneys. Function can decline, particularly in older people, on blood-pressure medicines, or when dehydrated. During an illness with vomiting or diarrhoea, or in extreme heat, use paracetamol instead unless told otherwise.
Heart and blood pressure. NSAIDs can raise blood pressure and worsen heart failure, and regular use is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
Asthma. Stop and seek advice if wheeze or breathlessness follows a dose.
Use it for the acute episode. For a short course this is a well-suited medicine; for a chronic condition, review periodically whether it is still needed and whether non-medicine measures could reduce the requirement.
Seek medical attention for stomach pain, vomiting blood or material resembling coffee grounds, black tarry stools, wheezing or breathlessness, chest pain, one-sided weakness or slurred speech, marked swelling of the legs or face, significantly reduced urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or a blistering or peeling rash.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Pain, Inflammation & Musculoskeletal Medicines guides
- Read: Prednisone used for
- Read: Donapan used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Xefo 4 mg used for? Acute pain — after surgery or dental work, back pain and sciatica — and the pain and stiffness of arthritis. It contains lornoxicam.
Why is the dose so small? Lornoxicam is potent and effective at 4 to 8 mg. That is a difference in potency, not in safety — all the usual anti-inflammatory cautions apply.
How is it different from meloxicam or piroxicam? All three are oxicams, but lornoxicam is short-acting and taken two or three times daily, while the others are once daily or longer.
Is it stronger than ibuprofen? It is more potent per milligram and effective for moderate acute pain. Whether it suits you better depends on tolerance rather than strength alone.
Can I take it with ibuprofen? No. Never combine two anti-inflammatories — the risks add up without improving relief.
Should I avoid it when I have a stomach bug? Yes, generally. Dehydration combined with an NSAID is hard on the kidneys — use paracetamol instead unless your doctor has advised otherwise.