Lidocaine ointment
definition
An ointment is generally used to prevent crust formation. It forms a protective film and prevents the skin from releasing heat and moisture.
Lidocaine is a local anesthetic of the amide type. It is also an anti-arrhythmic drug.
It works by inhibiting sodium channels in the nerves and preventing the transmission of stimuli. In this way, lidocaine reduces the sensation of pain.
Indications
Local anesthetics such as lidocaine are widely used in medicine.
In cardiology, they serve as an antiarrhythmic for cardiac arrhythmias. In anesthesia or surgery, the skin area requiring intervention is locally anesthetized.
For caesarean sections or anesthesia procedures close to the spinal cord, a local anesthetic saves general anesthesia and its systemic side effects. For example, small orthopedic interventions can be performed as part of regional anesthesia.
Lidocaine ointment or gel is applied to easily inflamed skin and mucous membranes or painful wounds. This makes it possible to wait almost painlessly until a surgical procedure can be carried out. Small surgical interventions such as pacemaker or port implants are also carried out under local anesthesia. This also enables wounds to heal painlessly.
Even hemorrhoids that do not require surgery can be treated symptomatically with lidocaine ointment in order to facilitate the painful defecation process.
You can find other dosage forms of lidocaine here:
- Lidocaine patch
- Lidocaine cream
- Lidocaine gel
Use on hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are extensions of the arteriovenous plexus. That means that the blood from the arteries flows into this plexus and supplies it. However, this blood in the veins can no longer drain away. As a result, there is a congestion or a protuberance of this network.
Depending on the degree of this protuberance, hemorrhoids can be divided into four degrees, with lidocaine ointments being used for degree one.
This can make the painful defecation process easier and stop a vicious circle. Because patients with pain, try to defecate by tensing the Anal sphincter (Sphincter) to suppress. This makes the bowel movements harder. This in turn leads to greater discomfort in the subsequent bowel movement and in the long term can lead to an enlargement of the hemorrhoids, which make an operation necessary.
Read more information about hemorrhoids here.
Use for an anal fissure
An anal fissure is a defect in the mucous membrane in the area of the anus. A primary anal fissure is often very painful. It occurs as a result of chronic hard bowel movements due to constipation, or chronic diarrhea or anal intercourse.
The pain persists a few minutes after you pass a bowel movement. Since this is a very sensitive region that is constantly being used, conservative therapy takes a few weeks to months.
This disease is primarily treated with stool regulation, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving ointments. For example, you start with Posterisan akut® rectal ointment 50mg / g three times a day. It reduces pain, making defecation easier.
Read more about anal fissure here.
Use in anal vein thrombosis
An anal vein thrombosis is a suddenly occurring painful swelling located in the venous plexus, which is located in the anal region. The burning, stabbing pain intensifies during and after defecation.
Conservative therapy is advisable in the case of minor symptoms and symptoms. Ointments containing lidocaine relieve pain. In addition, pain medication can be taken if the ointment alone is not enough.
A soft stool should be achieved through high-fiber food in order to prevent mechanical pain intensification.
Use for gum inflammation
Inflammation in the mouth can be very uncomfortable. Even very small inflammations can drastically reduce our quality of life.
You try to avoid sour and hot dishes and drinks because of the pain. An ointment with the local anesthetic lidocaine can counteract this very pleasantly by numbing the inflamed area for a short time and forgetting the pain.
The advantage of such ointments is that they can be found in any pharmacy without a prescription and that they hardly show any side effects. Polidocanol (Recessan) and lidocaine (Dynexan oral gel, Kamistad gel) are available. If the symptoms occur more frequently or are severe, a dentist should be consulted.
Read more about local anesthetics at the dentist here.
Use for a tattoo
Tattooing is a process in which a colored pattern is created by applying dyes into the incised skin. This process can be very painful.
Pain is a subjective sensory perception that is supposed to protect the body from damage. The pain threshold differs from person to person and does not correlate with the extent of the tissue damage.
Before creating a tattoo, it is possible to apply a lidocaine ointment to the skin one hour beforehand so that the individual needle pricks are not felt or not so strongly. Not only the needle, but also the constant cleaning leads to irritation of the skin. Before a tattoo is made, the area of skin to be tattooed is cleaned. Next, the ointment containing the local anesthetic is applied one hour beforehand. The ointment lasts for about two hours.
Use during pregnancy
Ointments based on lidocaine prevent the transmission of stimuli in the nerve fibers and thereby prevent the transmission of pain to the central nervous system.
Experience with lidocaine ointments during pregnancy and breastfeeding is very high. So far, according to studies, no increased risk of malformations in the child has been observed when used by pregnant women in the first four months.
Local anesthetics in the form of ointments are generally well tolerated.
Which drugs are allowed during pregnancy? - Read it here.
Duration of effect
The lidocaine ointment contains lidocaine, a local anesthetic of the acid amide type, which causes a temporary anesthetic of the skin or mucous membrane after application of the ointment
The onset of action occurs quickly within 30 seconds - 5 minutes. With a systemic intravenous administration the effect starts immediately.
Lidocaine has a half-life of 1.5 to 2 hours when used externally.
The duration depends on the type of local anesthetic. As with other local anesthetics, the correct dose and use are important for effective use.
It is therefore essential to follow the instructions of your doctor! If lidocaine ointment is used in larger amounts or more frequently than recommended by the doctor, dangerous blood levels can be reached.
For pain and discomfort with hemorrhoids, 1-5 g of ointment can be applied.
Effect of lidocaine ointment
Local anesthetics such as lidocaine reversibly prevent the influx of sodium into the nerve cells and inhibit the generation and transmission of excitation in the nerve membrane. This eliminates the pain.
Overall, all nerve fibers (sensory, motor and sensory) are blocked. The fibers of the autonomic nervous system (Sympathetic block) are blocked first. This leads to an expansion of the vessels and a feeling of warmth. Next, the sensory fibers that influence the perception of temperature and pain are inhibited. Then the fibers of the touch and pressure sensors are switched off and finally the motor fibers. The extent and strength of the effect depend on the concentration of the local anesthetic and the nature of the nerve fibers
In addition, the lidocaine ointment contains a low concentration of the anesthetic, so that above all the sensation of pain is switched off.
Find out more about the effects of local anesthetics here.
Side effects of lidocaine ointment
Any drug that has an effect can have certain side effects. But these do not have to occur in everyone. The side effects occur differently in patients. The following definitions are available for the frequency of drug side effects:
- Very common: affects more than 1 in 10 people
- Common: affects 1 to 10 users in 100
- Uncommon: affects 1 to 10 users in 1,000
- Rare: affects 1 to 10 users in 10,000
- Very rare: less than 1 in 10,000 patients treated
- Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data
When using lidocaine ointment on hemorrhoids, itching and burning in the anus are very common. This can be a hypersensitivity reaction. If your symptoms worsen during treatment with the medicine, the treatment should be stopped and a doctor should be consulted.
Allergies from the lidocaine ointment
An allergy is defined as an excessive reaction of the immune system to foreign substances. This usually shows up through local symptoms with itching, edema or redness.
With systemic intake of lidocaine, reactions involving the mucous membranes, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system and even allergic shock can result.
The extent of a reaction depends on the dosage and form of application of the local anesthetic (lozenges, ointments, syringes). For example, lozenges can rarely cause tongue numbness and changes in taste. When used locally in the throat, hoarseness can rarely occur.
Can you buy lidocaine ointments without a prescription?
There are different types of medication. These are divided into pharmacy-only, prescription or prescription-only and over-the-counter drugs. According to the Medicines Act, all drugs whose active ingredients are listed in this Act are subject to prescription.
All drugs that are used to eliminate or alleviate diseases, ailments, bodily harm or pathological complaints are subject to pharmacy. Many non-prescription drugs are only available from pharmacies. These include, for example, ointments containing lidocaine. That means you can buy this ointment without a prescription.
