Lidocaine is an anesthetic that is widely used in medicine. In various operations or procedures, doctors use this particular drug. Lidocaine is particularly popular in dentistry and surgery. Some patients develop an allergic reaction because of it. In most cases, it is expressed in a weak form, that is, dermatitis or urticaria appears. However, there are times when an allergy to lidocaine can lead to health problems, especially if the patient has a sensitive body.
Causes of the disease
What causes an allergy? Consider several reasons:
- Complex chemical composition. This is probably the main source of the disease. In some people, allergies are due to the additives and preservatives found in ampoules.
- Existing diseases, especially those associated with the cardiovascular system.
- Low immunity.
- Heredity or individual qualities of the patient.
How to check?
Many people wonder: how to check if there is an allergy to lidocaine? This is very important to know, as most dentists use this drug. If a person does not know about the presence of an ailment, but suspects such an opportunity, it is necessary to communicate his concerns. The doctor will simply replace this medication with another.
How to check for lidocaine allergy? You just need to inject a subcutaneous injection that contains 0.1 ml of the drug. After waiting 10 minutes, you need to look at the manifestation of the reaction. If during this time edema or redness does not appear, then the disease is absent, and lidocaine can be applied to the patient.
Symptoms
An allergy to lidocaine, like other types of such reactions, has its own symptoms. Symptoms may vary depending on the severity of the ailment. For many, they are limited to reddening of the skin or its irritation in the area where the drug was administered. However, in some cases, more serious symptoms are observed. The main symptoms of lidocaine allergy:
- Rash, itching, and redness of the skin.
- Swelling. This symptom is one of the main, with a weak form, the injection site swells slightly. And with a severe degree of the disease, the face, hands, neck swell.
- Tearing, itching, redness of the eye area.
- Rhinitis. In case of allergies, it often blocks the nose, the patient constantly sneezes.
- Severe cough, sometimes prevents breathing, not enough air.
- As the effect of allergies intensifies, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and fainting appear.
- In acute form, anaphylactic shock is possible . Doctors say that an allergy to lidocaine poses a life threat only in case of an overdose.
The difference between allergies and side effects
The fact is that many patients, trying to understand the causes of the disease, do not fully understand what kind of problem they have. How allergy to lidocaine is manifested was described above. Now you need to find out what signs appear with intolerance to the drug. Among them are:
- dizziness;
- cardiopalmus;
- nausea
- drowsiness;
- pressure reduction.
If the patient has such symptoms, in principle, there is nothing to worry about. The appearance of itching, irritation and redness directly indicate the presence of allergies. Side effects often occur when lidocaine and adrenaline are mixed. In this case, a headache and arrhythmia appear.
The manifestation of the reaction to the drug
As already noted, it is important to separate the symptoms of side effects and the allergy itself. One of the main signs of intolerance is a violation of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as other internal organs. How is lidocaine allergy and side effects manifested?
The first is characterized by the appearance of dermatitis or urticaria, conjunctival problems. Tearing, swelling of the larynx and face, inflammation of the nasal mucosa are observed. Sometimes, in the most severe cases, anaphylactic shock may occur .
Side effects are represented by increased drowsiness, visual impairment, and complete apathy. In adults, arrhythmia and jumps in blood pressure are observed.
Allergies in children
Most children have visited a dentist at least once. As you know, doctors use lidocaine as an anesthetic. The body of children reacts differently to this drug. Situations are common when, after the first injection, acute negative reactions are not detected, and when reused, a severe form immediately sets in.
An allergy to lidocaine in a child is expressed by the same symptoms as in adults. Sometimes it manifests itself very quickly after using the drug, for example, applying a dental gel.
How to find out if a baby is allergic to lidocaine? Before starting a medical procedure, a specialist must conduct a tolerance test for this medicine. For this, the minimum dose of the drug is administered to the child, then after 15 minutes the reaction is checked. If symptoms appear, it is necessary to replace the medicine with another anesthetic.
Medicines containing lidocaine
The main element of this drug is its analgesic component. It is actively used in many medicines aimed at reducing sensitivity. Lidocaine is especially widespread in drugs that eliminate toothache, as well as inflammation in the mouth.
Many people who buy drugs at the pharmacy do not read the instructions. Lidocaine is found in many drugs, and carelessness during the acquisition can end quite seriously. There is a misconception that this medication is a solution for injection, and nothing more. In fact, it can be presented as an anesthetic component. We list several drugs that include lidocaine:
- Xicain.
- "Instillagel".
- "Anauran".
- Lidocard.
- Dentinox.
It should be noted that this is not a complete list of medicines. In total, there are about 50 such drugs, the above are considered the best-selling of them. The main thing is to carefully read the instructions and composition of the drug when buying in a pharmacy.
How to replace lidocaine?
Currently, a lot of medical procedures cannot be performed without using a local anesthetic. The best of them and the most popular is lidocaine. But what should people do who are allergic to this drug? The answer is simple: you need to replace it with another anesthetic.
This issue should be taken seriously and choose the most suitable medicine that will not cause side effects. Usually they opt for those medicines that have an anesthetic component in their composition, but at the same time they differ in structure from the irritant.
If the patient is allergic to lidocaine, novocaine will be an excellent choice for replacement. It is suitable for all parameters, however, a sample is also required before use. In case of allergic reactions to several anesthetics, general anesthesia is usually used.
Diagnostics
How to check for lidocaine allergy? Most often, adults and children are given a subcutaneous injection, then a reaction is expected for some time. After this, the ratio of the patient's body to the drug is determined by external factors. In some cases, you can determine allergies without using this method.
Each person has a medical history where all his diseases, severity, treatment period, unwanted medications, etc. are clearly described. Simply put, the patient’s medical card allows the doctor to see the full picture of his health. If in this information there is a mention of this allergy, it is necessary to abandon the use once and for all.
When injecting, the patient should be warned of possible unpleasant consequences. In children from the age of 5, they can check for lidocaine allergy using a blood test.
Treatment of ailment
The main point of therapy is the rejection of the use of this drug. Oddly enough, it is necessary to stop using lidocaine in all its manifestations. The ban applies not only to solutions for injection, but also to any other medicines containing its components.
To remove unwanted substances from the body, you need to follow a drinking regimen. It is better to consume water as often as possible. In addition, the diet should be limited to foods that may be potential allergens. If the ailment has acquired a severe form, then the doctor will prescribe funds aimed at increasing urine output and reducing swelling. It is sometimes recommended to take antihistamines with epinephrine. In any case, it is necessary to act on the advice of a specialist. Here is some of them:
- If the allergy is characterized by skin rashes, the patient is advised to take a cold shower. This is done in order to reduce the severity of the symptoms of the disease. In addition to the shower, you can also apply a cold bandage to the site of the rash.
- If due to allergies it becomes difficult to breathe or other processes associated with this occur, it is recommended to take a bronchodilator.
- If dizziness suddenly begins, you need to lie on your back (if possible) and make sure that your legs are above the body. You should be in this position for a while until blood circulation normalizes, and the patient begins to feel better.
- If nausea or vomiting suffers, it is necessary to cleanse the body. This will require gastric lavage.
How to maintain your health
Most people are not serious about lidocaine allergies until they come across it themselves. Patients often do not know their body and are unaware of the presence of high sensitivity to drugs. Only when visiting a dentist before an emergency operation or procedure, it turns out that a person is allergic to lidocaine. Before starting an action, every doctor should ask if there is an intolerance to anesthesia. If the answer is vague, a test must be performed.
How to find out if you are allergic to lidocaine or not? This test will help in solving the problem. You just need to enter the minimum dose under the skin, wait a few minutes and determine by external signs.
However, unfortunately, not all dentists are conscientious and test the reaction to the drug. Sometimes the operation begins without checking for sensitivity. Then situations arise that are life-threatening to the patient. Conducting a simple test solves most difficult situations and determines possible difficulties.
The patient should also be required to test the sensitivity. As already noted, not all doctors are interested in this factor, and in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, the patient can take the initiative. If the patient is allergic to dust or other medications, anesthetic tolerance testing is mandatory. Moreover, it is important to understand what kind of anesthetic is expressed in increased sensitivity.
An allergy to lidocaine is a fairly common ailment. Each patient should have a list of drugs that include this medicine or its components.