Health Library

Lidocaine (By injection)

Lidocaine (LYE-doe-kane)

Numbs an area of your body before and during surgery, childbirth, or dental work. Also treats emergency heart rhythm problems.

Brand Name(s):

PremierPro Rx Xylocaine, PremierPro Rx Xylocaine-MPF, Xylocaine, Xylocaine-MPF

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used:

How to Use This Medicine:

Injectable

• A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. It is given through a needle placed into one of your veins, into your upper arm, into the head and neck area, or into the space around the spinal nerves in your lower back.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Some medicines can affect how lidocaine works. Tell your doctor if you are using any of the following:
  • Acetaminophen, chloroquine, digoxin, metoclopramide, primaquine, quinine, sulfasalazine
  • Blood pressure medicine
  • Cancer medicine (including cyclophosphamide, flutamide, hydroxyurea, ifosfamide, rasburicase)
  • Ergot medicine
  • Medicine to treat an infection (including dapsone, nitrofurantoin, para-aminosalicylic acid, sulfonamide)
  • Medicine to treat depression or mental illness
  • Medicine to treat seizures (including phenobarbital, phenytoin, sodium valproate)
  • Nitrate or nitrite medicine (including nitric oxide, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nitrous oxide)
  • Phenothiazine medicine
• Tell your doctor if you use anything else that makes you sleepy. Some examples are allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, and alcohol.

Warnings While Using This Medicine:

• If you are not receiving this medicine for childbirth, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, brain or nerve disease, blood vessel disease, spine problems, seizures (epilepsy), asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, a blood disorder, G6PD, or lung or breathing problems. Tell your doctor if you have any heart problems such as congestive heart failure or heart rhythm disorders (especially Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome).
• This medicine may cause methemoglobinemia (blood disorder).
• This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
• You may experience temporary loss of sensation and movement, usually in the lower half of your body, if you receive this medicine into your lower back (epidural).
• It may also be easier to hurt yourself while your treated body area is still numb. Be careful to avoid injury until you have regained all the feeling and are no longer numb.
• If you are receiving this medicine as an epidural to ease labor pains, it may take longer than normal for you to push your baby out. It is also possible that the baby may have unwanted effects after birth (including sleepiness, slow responses). Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how this medicine might affect your baby.
• Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments.
• Tell any doctor or dentist who treats you that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect certain medical test results.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine:

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Anxiety, confusion, depression, dizziness, drowsiness
• Chest pain, fast or uneven heartbeat
• Lightheadedness or fainting, nervousness, restlessness, blurred or double vision, twitching
• Numbness in another part of your body that is not being treated
• Pale, gray, or blue lips, nails, or skin, dark urine, headache, unusual tiredness or weakness
• Ringing in the ears, seizures
• Unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Back pain
• Numbness, tingling, or burning of treated areas hours or days after surgery
• Pain, redness, or swelling where the needle was placed

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor

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

Last Updated: 9/6/2024