A lidocaine infusion is a diagnostic procedure, which means it is used to assess your pain and then determine further treatment. Lidocaine is one type of medication, called a sodium channel blocker, that can be used to relieve pain. A lidocaine infusion quickly determines if sodium channel blockers are the right choice for you.
Swedish Covenant Hospital is one of the few hospitals in the nation to perform this procedure. Read on below to find answers to some frequently asked questions about lidocaine infusions.
What is lidocaine?
Lidocaine is a medication called a sodium channel blocker, which can block activity from irritable nerves responsible for some types of pain, such as neuropathic pain.
Does it work on all types of pain?
No, lidocaine does not relieve everyone's pain. It only helps reduce pain that is caused by overactivity of sodium channels inside the cells of some irritable nerves.
What is the benefit of a lidocaine infusion?
A lidocaine infusion quickly determines whether your pain responds to this type of medicine and whether you have any side effects. This is very helpful to know before starting similar oral medication, since the process of reaching an effective dose can be both expensive and time-consuming.
What are the possible side effects of lidocaine?
You may not experience anything, but possible side effects may include nausea, metallic taste, dizziness, ringing in the ears, numbness of the mouth and tongue, agitation, drowsiness, slurred speech, tingling or heaviness in extremities. These typically resolve quickly.
Please note: it is very important to inform your doctor or nurse if you have liver disease, a seizure disorder, heart disease or irregular heart rhythm before having a lidocaine infusion.
What happens during the lidocaine procedure?
Your nurse will measure your height to determine your infusion dose, obtain your written consent, start an IV and begin to monitor your heart rate and blood pressure.
During the procedure, you will be asked every 5 minutes to rate each location of your pain on the 0-10 pain scale. If your pain is positional, you will need to rate your pain in different positions—i.e. standing versus sitting. The procedure may last up to one hour, depending on your response.
What if the lidocaine helps reduce my pain?
The effect of the lidocaine infusion will last only a few hours. If the infusion significantly reduced your pain, you may be started on oral medication that works like lidocaine. This medication can only be gradually increased, so it may take a few weeks to reach a dose that will be effective in reducing your pain.
What if the infusion does not reduce my pain?
Discovering that your pain does not respond to lidocaine is still very helpful. We can now avoid using medications that aren't likely to reduce your pain and instead focus on finding ones that are effective.
For more information about lidocaine infusions or to consult with a pain physician, call Swedish Covenant Hospital's Pain Center at 773-989-6222.
