However, the authors determined that clinical evidence supports using topical lidocaine in individual cases, but they need more robust research to make definitive conclusions. All but one of the studies found that lidocaine provided better pain relief than a placebo, but that’s not exactly a strong endorsement. Three of the single-dose trials had participants who were pain-free at some point or had a 20% reduction in pain levels. One of the multiple-dose studies reported a pain intensity reduction of around 30–50%. ConclusionsĪll this research yielded little evidence that topical lidocaine has any real efficacy against shingles pain. Seven of the studies monitored the respondents throughout multiple lidocaine applications, while five tested single-use applications. Two studies used enriched enrollment with randomized withdrawal-if someone couldn't tolerate the lidocaine, they bounced out of the study.³ They used cross-over (short-term random studies that won't alter the disease) and parallel-group (random subjects with no cross-over) trials. The research teams used medicated patches, creams, gels in a 5% concentration, and sprays in an 8% concentration. It's not for lack of trying that the results are inconclusive. Unfortunately, the only conclusion they’ve come to is maybe it helps.² Researchers around the world have conducted multiple studies to determine if topical lidocaine is an effective pain management tool against shingles rash pain and the lingering nerve pain that can persist after the rash has healed (PHN). Shingles is contagious, but you can only spread it to people who have never had chickenpox or a vaccination against either. It can appear on either side but rarely both, whereas the chickenpox rash goes all over your body. The shingles rash is painful and itchy, and it’s usually confined to one of two areas on the body-the torso or face and neck. Shingles is similar to chickenpox in that there's an itchy rash with blisters that lasts two weeks or so, but that's where the similarity ends. It can activate years later and show up as shingles, which can have nasty complications. That’s because the varicella-zoster virus remains dormant in your body when you get chickenpox. Those millions are at risk for shingles as they get older. In the early 1990s, four million people-plus the millions who had contracted the virus earlier- got the varicella virus. The chickenpox vaccine has been widely available in the US since 2005. One of those is the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that causes chickenpox (varicella) and shingles (herpes zoster). Simply put, shingles is the grown-up version of chickenpox.Īlthough there are hundreds of versions of the herpes virus in the world, only eight can affect humans. Let’s find out how lidocaine works and if it’s appropriate for reducing your shingles symptoms. The active ingredients absorb into the skin, so the drug only affects the painful area, which is why it’s called a "local" anesthetic. Doctors prescribe it intravenously and topically to manage acute and chronic pain.¹Ī topical anesthetic is a numbing agent in cream, ointment, liquid, spray, or gel form, although administering the drug via a patch is becoming a popular option. Lidocaine remains the drug of choice today for many medical procedures that require a mild anesthetic. Research estimates that ~450,000 people used it in the United States alone in 2020. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that’s been around since the 1940s. When to use lidocaine to ease nerve pain.Types of topical lidocaine for shingles.Does lidocaine help with shingles pain?.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |