What is Celebrex used for? Celebrex is used to treat several conditions (such as arthritis, tendonitis, and painful menstrual periods) that are related to pain and inflammation. The drug works by blocking the COX-2 enzyme, which plays a role in pain and inflammation in the body. Researchers hope that one day, Celebrex will be used for treating certain types of cancer, such as melanoma.
Celebrex® (celecoxib) is a prescription medication that has been licensed to treat several conditions related to pain and inflammation. These Celebrex uses include the following:
Acute pain relief, such as for pain following a procedure or straining a muscle.
Celebrex has also been shown to decrease the number of colon and rectal polyps in people with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a hereditary condition that can cause hundreds of growths (called polyps) in the colon and rectum. People with FAP usually develop colon cancer and/or rectal cancer by their late 30s.
How Does Celebrex Work?
Celebrex is part of a class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) called COX-2 inhibitors. It works by blocking a particular enzyme (COX-2) that plays a role in pain and inflammation. Unlike other NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and naproxen) that target both the COX-1 and the COX-2 enzymes, Celebrex only targets the COX-2 enzyme. The COX-1 enzyme plays an important role in protecting the lining of the stomach.
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