Medications · FAQ
Who should check with a clinician before using lidocaine?
Short answer
Anyone considering lidocaine should share their allergies, health conditions, and medicines with the prescriber. Extra review is important for people with liver disease, heart rhythm problems, certain blood disorders, or pregnancy or breastfeeding. A licensed physician in your state, or dentist for dental treatment, decides whether lidocaine is appropriate.
Tell your prescriber if you have ever had a reaction to lidocaine or another numbing medicine. Share what happened during the reaction, rather than assuming all anesthetics are unsafe for you. Other ingredients in a rinse or spray may also cause allergies.
Your clinician should know about liver disease, heart rhythm problems, and any history of methemoglobinemia, a blood oxygen disorder. Also mention glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, often called G6PD deficiency. These conditions may affect the safety of treatment or the precautions needed.
If you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, discuss the exact product and application site before use. Do not apply lidocaine where an infant could swallow it or have direct contact with it unless a clinician gives specific instructions.
Children need separate medical guidance. Never share your prescription with a child or use oral viscous lidocaine for teething pain. Tell your prescriber about sores, infection, or broken skin at the planned application site, since damaged tissue may absorb more medicine.
Sources
Written by the Verra clinical team · Medical review pending
General information, not medical advice. If you're in crisis, call or text 988.