What Are the Uses of Lidocaine and Prilocaine?

A combination of lidocaine and prilocaine is often used during various medical procedures, because the blend is a topical anesthetic that can numb the surface to which it is applied. The point of this medication is to keep the patient from feeling pain, because it tends to dull the skin's nerve endings. One of the most common uses of lidocaine and prilocaine is as a local anesthetic just before a procedure that involves injections, because the medication can keep patients from feeling the pain of the needle. It also can be applied to mucous membranes, such as the gums or genitals, before surgery. In many cases, the medication needs to be applied hours before the procedure so it has time to deaden the nerves, though some procedures only call for it to be applied immediately beforehand.

Many people are sensitive to the pain of a needle poking the surface of the skin, which is why doctors often use a topical mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine to numb the area. This is often useful when getting blood from a vein or injecting medicine through a needle. It also can be used before surgery such as having a wart removed or skin grafted from one area to another. In such cases, the doctor will likely apply the medicine, though he may show the patient how to do it in instances when it is necessary to put it on the skin hours before surgery. Patients should avoid placing lidocaine and prilocaine on any wounds, cuts or skin rashes to avoid irritation.

This medication is sometimes used during surgery on mucous membranes. For example, it may be applied to the genitals to remove warts, in which case it is usually placed on the surface only a few minutes before the procedure. When a local anesthetic needs to be injected into the groin area of males, a lidocaine and prilocaine combination is often applied first to numb the sensitive area. This medication blend also is used during periodontal procedures, being applied to the gums just before scaling and root planing, for example.

When this topical anesthetic is used before surgery, it usually is best when applied one or two hours prior to the procedure so it has time to work. In many cases, the cream is placed on the surface in a thick layer and then covered with a dressing until just before the procedure begins. This cream is typically given by prescription only, and patients are usually given thorough instructions if they have to apply it on their own, because it may be dangerous when used incorrectly.