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Lidocaine
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Description
Lidocaine is an effective numbing medicine used before surgical procedures. It blocks nerve signals from a specific part of the body and is categorized as a local anesthetic medicine. It is also used to treat arrhythmia characterized by an improper beating of the heart.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Lidocaine
Flushing or redness of skin
Injection site bruising and red coloration
Nausea or Vomiting
Cracked or scaly skin
Fast heartbeat
Difficulty in breathing
Join pain and swelling
Swelling of face, lips, eyelids, tongue, hands and feet
Blurred vision
Chills or cold sweats
Dizziness when getting up suddenly from a sitting position
Shaking and trembling of arms and feet
Unusual tiredness and weakness
Unpleasant aftertaste
Ringing or buzzing in the ears
Decrease/loss of hearing
Unusual thirst
Convulsions (seizures)
Uses of Lidocaine
What is it prescribed for?
Anesthesia
This medicine is used to numb a specific area of the body to reduce pain and discomfort caused by surgical or other invasive medical procedures. Both the injectable and topical forms are used for anesthesia.
Pain and irritation
This medicine is used to relieve pain, swelling and discomfort associated with conditions like sunburn, insect bites, minor cuts, scratches, and burns.
Hemorrhoids
This medicine is used to relieve pain, itching and discomfort caused by hemorrhoids.
Postherpetic Neuralgia
This medicine is used to relieve pain and burning sensation that lasts after the blisters or shingles have disappeared.
Cardiac arrythmia
This medicine is used for the management of heart rhythm disorders likely to occur during heart surgeries or a heart attack.
Gastrointestinal tract examination
This medicine is also used as a numbing medication before procedures like Endotracheal intubation.
Labor pain and discomfort
This medicine is also used during a spinal block to reduce pain and discomfort caused due to labor contractions.
Nerve block to relieve pain
This medicine is also injected into specific regions of the spinal cord to treat pains associated with spasm of blood vessels, surgical procedures in the neck or groin area, etc.
Concerns
Commonly asked questions
Onset of action
The amount of time taken for this medicine to show its effect is subject to variations based on the intended use and route of administration. The effect of this medicine can be observed within 45-90 seconds upon intravenous administration while the transdermal form takes 4-6 hours.Duration of effect
The time duration for which this medicine remains effective in the body is subject to variations based on the route of administration. The intravenous form is short acting while the other forms stay effective for longer durations.Safe with alcohol?
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.Is it habit forming?
No habit forming tendencies were reported.Usage in pregnancy?
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before using this medicine.Usage while breast-feeding?
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before using this medicine.
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use if you have a known history of allergy to Lidocaine or any other amide type local anesthetics.
Adams Stokes syndrome
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients having repeated episodes of fainting due to periodic onset and offset of blockage of impulses in the heart.
Heart block
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients having a secondary or tertiary degree of heart block and no pacemaker is implanted to correct the defect.
Wolff Parkinson White syndrome
This medicine is not recommended for use if you have this rare genetic condition that affects the conduction of impulses in the heart.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before using this medicine.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. Discuss all the risks and benefits with your doctor before using this medicine.
General warnings
Other medicines
Report the use of all other medicines including herbs and supplements to the doctor before receiving Lidocaine to rule out the chances of a potential interaction.
Malignant hyperthermia
Use of this medicine can cause Malignant hyperthermia characterized by a rapid rise in body temperature and severe muscle pain. Use of this medicine should be stopped at the first instance of this condition.
Eye/Ear irritation
The topical form of this medicine should not be applied to the eyes, ears or cracked skin surface. Wash the eyes immediately with water if contact with this medicine occurs.
Teething problems
This medicine should not be used to treat pain associated with teething in infants and children. Use of this medicine to treat teething pain can cause severe damage to the brain and the heart.
Topical anesthetics and food
Food should be taken only after an hour if this medicine is used in the mouth or throat. This medicine may impair the process of swallowing and may cause aspiration and risk of biting the tongue.
Liver impairment
This medicine should be used with caution in patients having an impairment of normal liver function. Appropriate dose adjustments and monitoring of liver enzymes during treatment are advised.
Kidney impairment
This medicine should be used with caution in patients having an impairment of normal kidney function. Appropriate dose adjustments and monitoring of kidney function during the course of treatment are advised.
Heart disease
This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients having a pre-existing heart condition. Any incidences of heart rhythm abnormalities in the past or present should be reported to the doctor.
Monitoring of ECG
Monitoring of ECG and other parameters is must when the intravenous form of this medicine is given to a patient for anesthesia.
Respiratory Depression
Use of this medicine has been associated with breathing difficulties and hence it should be used with caution in patients having a preexisting breathing disorder.
Drowsiness and impairment of thinking
Use of this medicine may cause drowsiness and may impair the thinking capabilities and hence driving vehicles or operating machinery after taking this medicine is not recommended.
Missed Dose
Oral forms: Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, if you are on a dosing schedule. Usually, the injectable form is administered in a clinical/hospital set up by a qualified healthcare professional and the topical form has no dosing regimen, hence the likelihood of missing a dose is very low.
Overdose
Contact your doctor immediately if an overdose with this medicine is suspected. Symptoms of an overdose may include slowed or difficult breathing, change in heart rate, coma etc.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Chlordiazepoxide
Fluconazole
Propranolol
Tramadol
Amiodarone
Sodium Nitrite
Prilocaine
Cimetidine
Disease interactions
Teething pain
This medicine is not recommended for use in teething infants and young children as the risk of fatal adverse effects is significantly high. Use of this medicine may cause seizures, severe brain damage, and heart complications in this population group.
Heart disease
This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients having a pre-existing condition of the heart. The risk of severe adverse effects is significantly high and hence treatment with a safer substitute is advised.
Liver/kidney impairment
This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients having an impairment of normal liver/kidney function. Appropriate dose adjustments and constant monitoring of liver/kidney function are advised in such cases.
Seizure disorders
This medicine should be used with caution in patients having a seizure disorder. Appropriate dose adjustments and frequent monitoring are advised in such cases.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take/Use Lidocaine exactly as prescribed by the doctor. The form of the medicine, route of administration and dosage timings and duration is very specific to your condition and hence adherence to the instructions given by the doctor is a must. Follow all usage related instructions mentioned on the label or the package insert. Report any adverse effects to the doctor immediately.
Miscelleneous
How it works
This medicine works by blocking pain signals from the body to the brain. It works on the heart rhythm by affecting the electrical signals generated by the heart.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Group I antiarrhythmics, Local injectable anesthetics, Topical anesthetics
Schedule
Schedule H
DailyMed - A3736-22- regional anesthesia kit [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 16 June 2017]. Available from:
Lidocaine - DrugBank [Internet]. Drugbank.ca. 2017 [cited 16 June 2017]. Available from:
Lidocaine Viscous: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 16 June 2017]. Available from:
[Internet]. 2018 [cited 8 February 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. Accessdata.fda.gov. 2018 [cited 8 February 2018]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 8 Feb 2018
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.