Lidnocaine Intravenous Infusion's for Pain

As I am sure you will have seen from some of my previous posts, 'Lidnocain Intravenous Infusion' for chronic pain seems to be available in some NHS Hospitals but not from all of them.

Lidocaine is a common local anaesthetic that can be delivered by intravenous (IV) infusion to relieve chronic pain. Lidocaine infusions can last for weeks and often several months and be repeated with minimal side effects.

The patient's pain is improved through the use of lidocaine infusions by:

1: Decreasing the spread of pain signals in the nerve fibres
2: Lessening self-generated nerve activity

Numerous patients experience a decrease in pain severity from severe to manageable.

You can usually resume normal activities after the procedure, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

It’s OK to restart your exercise or physiotherapy as soon as you feel comfortable doing so.

Lidocaine is a sodium channel blocker and can block the pain receptors in the brain and spinal cord, making it a particularly effective treatment for neuropathic pain (pain caused by nerve damage or a malfunctioning nervous system).

Conditions lidocaine infusion is used to treat include:

-  Chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS I and II)

-   Neuralgia (nerve pain)

-   Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)

-   Postherpetic pain

-   Chronic diabetic neuropathy

-   Fibromyalgia

-   Vascular headaches

-   Centralised pain

-   Widespread pain

Source: NHS The Pain Team DRG Clinic