What Is Used For

What Is Lidocaine Used For

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Lidocaine is primarily used as a local anesthetic to numb tissue in specific areas for surgical, dental, or minor medical procedures[1][3][4]. It works by blocking nerve signals in the body, offering rapid onset and intermediate duration of numbness when administered through infiltration, nerve blocks, or surface application[1][5].

Lidocaine has several medical uses, including:

  • Providing local anesthesia during dental procedures, minor surgeries, or other interventions that require numbing of a specific area[1][3][4].
  • Offering topical pain relief for skin irritations such as sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, minor cuts, scratches, or burns[2][7].
  • Treating nerve pain (e.g., postherpetic neuralgia, the nerve pain caused by shingles) via transdermal patches[1][6][7].
  • Acting as a topical treatment for itching related to various skin irritations[2][7].
  • Relieving rectal discomfort associated with hemorrhoids[2].
  • Reducing sore throat or mouth pain with specific lidocaine viscous solutions[7].
  • Treating painful urethritis and providing lubrication for certain medical procedures such as intubation[7].
  • Managing premature ejaculation in select cases as a local numbing agent[1][4].
  • Classified as a class Ib anti-arrhythmic agent, lidocaine is sometimes used intravenously to manage certain abnormal heart rhythms (this use is less common compared to its anesthetic role)[4].

Lidocaine is available in multiple formulations (creams, gels, injections, patches, ointments, and viscous liquids) for various medical contexts. Its efficacy, rapid onset, and safety profile have made it a mainstay in clinical practice worldwide[1][5].

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