What is Lidocaine?
Lidocaine, pronounced LYE-doe-kane, is a local or topical anesthetic that can be applied to the skin or to mucous membranes to reduce the immediate feeling of pain and produce numbness. Lidocaine has been in the market since 1948, and is available over the counter, which means no doctor prescription is needed to buy it or use it. Lidocaine is used for a variety of medical conditions, and is often one of the drugs included in first-aid kits in the form of a combination antibiotic/pain relieving cream. Sprays for treating sunburn, insect bites, or poison ivy often include lidocaine as the main ingredient. Lidocaine gel is often used in dental procedures as a way of numbing the area before applying an injection, or to reduce pain after the procedure is finished. Lidocaine works by blocking the pain signal sent by the nerve endings on the skin. When applied to the affected area, a feeling of numbness follows after 20-30 seconds; depending on the strength of the drug, the effect may last fr
Lidocaine can come as an ointment or as an aesthetic patch. It is used for reducing pain during injections. Viscous lidocaine is a thick liquid that can be used to relive pain from dry socket or alveolar osteitis, a complication from tooth extraction. After lidocaine is applied, it will take about three minutes for the area to become numb. The numbness will last for about fifteen minutes. Anaesthetic preparations that have lidocaine are only approved for in-office use and they must be applied directly in the mouth. Over-the-counter products that have lidocaine like ointments for cold sores must not be used in the mouth.
