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Lidocaine is a prescription medication used to prevent pain before procedures or to relieve pain due to certain conditions. Lidocaine belongs to a group of drugs called local anesthetics. These stop nerves from sending pain signals to the brain.

This medication comes in several topical forms, including a patch to be applied to the skin (transdermal), ointment, cream, and oral solution. Lidocaine is an ingredient in some over-the-counter topical pain relievers. This page refers to the prescription forms of lidocaine.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) or for infiltration and nerve block by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of topical lidocaine include irritation at site of application. Common side effects of injectable lidocaine include confusion, nervousness, and numbness. Lidocaine may also cause dizziness and drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication affects you. 

Topical:

Lidocaine is a prescription medication used to prevent pain before procedures or to relieve pain due to certain conditions.  Lidocaine patches may be used to treat pain due to post-herpetic neuralgia. Lidocaine ointment, gel, and cream are used to prevent and control pain during procedures, such as intubation and eye surgery, and relieve pain due to conditions such as inflammation of the urethra and sore throat. Lidocaine oral solution is used to treat pain in the mouth.

Injectable:

Injectable lidocaine is used as an anesthetic during surgical procedures.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with lidocaine. See the “Lidocaine Precautions” section.

Topical:

Common side effects of topical lidocaine include irritation at site of application, including burning, blisters, bruising, redness, or swelling at the site of application. Lidocaine ointment, gel, and cream, as well as the oral solution, may also cause vomiting, seizures, ringing in the ears, and irregular heartbeat. Lidocaine ophthalmic gel may cause headache or bloodshot eyes.

Lidocaine may also cause dizziness and drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication affects you. 

Injectable:

Common side effects of injectable lidocaine include confusion, nervousness, numbness, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, vomiting, seizures, ringing in the ears, headache, and shivering.

This is not a complete list of lidocaine side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• disopyramide (Norpace)
• flecainide (Tambocor)
• medications applied to the skin or mouth to treat pain
• mexiletine (Mexitil)
• moricizine (Ethmozine)
• procainamide (Procanabid, Pronestyl)
• propafenone (Rhythmol)
• quinidine (Quinidex)
• tocainide (Tonocard)

This is not a complete list of lidocaine drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Topical:

Serious side effects have been reported with topical lidocaine including the following:

Allergic reactions. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction.

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• Hives or skin rash
• Fast heartbeat
• Fast breathing
• Nausea or vomiting
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Fainting
• Seizures or convulsions

Injectable:

Serious side effects have been reported with injectable lidocaine including the following:

Allergic reactions. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction.

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• Hives or skin rash
• Fast pulse
• Fast breathing
• Nausea or vomiting
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Fainting
• Seizures or convulsions

Injectable lidocaine may also affect the central nervous system, including lightheadedness, nervousness, blurred or double vision, altered sensations, and changes in respiration.

Injectable lidocaine may also affect the cardiovascular system, including changes in heartbeat, decreased blood pressure, and cardiac arrest.

Lidocaine can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how lidocaine affects you.

Do not take lidocaine if you:

• are allergic to lidocaine or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to other local anesthetics, including bupivacaine (Marcaine), etidocaine (Duranest), mepivacaine (Carbocaine, Prolocaine), or prilocaine (Citanest)

Additionally, do not take injectable lidocaine if you:

• have Stokes-Adams syndrome or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
• have sinoatrial, atrioventricular, or intraventricular block

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of lidocaine, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking lidocaine, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to lidocaine or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to other local anesthetics, including bupivacaine (Marcaine), etidocaine (Duranest), mepivacaine (Carbocaine, Prolocaine), or prilocaine (Citanest)
• have Stokes-Adams syndrome or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
• have sinoatrial, atrioventricular, or intraventricular block
• have or have had liver disease
• are having surgery, including dental surgery
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Lidocaine falls into category B.

There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with lidocaine. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if lidocaine crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using lidocaine.

Use lidocaine exactly as prescribed.

This medication comes in several topical forms, including a transdermal patch, ointment, cream, and oral solution. The dose and frequency of use of lidocaine will depend on the condition being treated.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) or for infiltration and nerve block by a healthcare professional.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of lidocaine at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. The dose and frequency of use of lidocaine will depend on the condition being treated or the procedure you will undergo.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication

Do not use topical forms of lidocaine on broken or blistered skin.

Do not swallow the oral solution of lidocaine. Swish and/or gargle in your mouth and/or throat and spit out the solution.

If you take too much lidocaine, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If lidocaine is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

Store lidocaine at room temperature.

Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.