“Lidocaine infusion has been shown to be successful in controlling pain where other agents have failed. Moreover, the opioid sparing properties of lidocaine infusion added to its analgesic & antihyperalgesic properties, make lidocaine infusion a viable option for pain control in opioid dependent patients” [1]
A Brief Overview
An intravenous lidocaine infusion refers to a local anaesthetic, which is administered into a vein via a pump, over a 60 minute or so, period. Pain Specialists prescribe it to patients who experience general, long-term pain, due to its recorded beneficial results [2].
So How Do the Intravenous Lidocaine InfusionsWork?
Lidocaine infusions work to ameliorate the patient’s pain by:
1: Decreasing the spread of pain signals in the nerve fibres
2: Lessening self-generated nerve activity [2].
What Benefits Will I Gain From Having Intravenous Lidocaine Infusions?
Many patients find that their pain goes down from severe to a more manageable level. If this is the case, their Pain Doctor, may be able to decrease the number of painkillers that they normally have to take [2].
What Does the Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion Involve?
During the time the patient undergoes the lidocaine infusion, they will be carefully observed via a heart monitor. In addition to this, their blood pressure, pulse and breathing, will be periodically recorded. As long as they have not had any substantial side-effects; after the session, they will be dismissed by the medics, and will be free to go home [2].
Of note, as the treatment works over many days, a patient will not know how successful it has been for them, on the day they had the infusion [2]. Their Pain Consultant will do a follow-up appointment to ascertain how beneficial it has been, at a later date; so keeping a daily ‘Pain Diary, is an excellent idea, as it can serve as a concise record that can be shown to the Pain Consultant at each online or in-person consultation.
Are There Any Potential Side-Effects?
As the NHS states: “fortunately, serious side effects or complications are very rare, & by being continuously monitored, the chances of problems arising are minimised. However, even at the recommended dose, side effects can occur. These include dizziness, headaches, & drowsiness. If any of these side effects do occur, they usually disappear once the infusion is slowed down or stopped” [2].
Your Pain Specialist, who will have studied your medical history, and taken various other factors into account, will ensure that you are a suitable candidate for intravenous lidocaine infusions.
References
[1]. Kandil E, Melikman E, Adinoff B. Lidocaine Infusion: A Promising Therapeutic Approach for Chronic Pain. J Anesth Clin Res. 2017 Jan;8(1):697.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5323245/#:~:text=Lidocaine%20infusion%20has%20been%20shown,control%20in%20opioid%20dependent%20patients.
[2]. NHS Foundation Trust (2020). “Lidocaine Intravenous Patient Information.”
https://www.wwl.nhs.uk/media/.leaflets/60f6995c47a9c3.41244814.pdf
