I have friend who offerre me a Lidoderm patch for back pain. I turned it down because it’s illegal to use someone else’s prescription.
But, I also doubted the efficiacy of topically applied lidocaine for a backache.
Yet, today, when I went to the Dr. among other things, they prescribed Lidoderm.
So, I turned to Google. What I found on Google indicates that it’s prescribed for postherpetic neuralgia.
No mention of backaches etc.
So what’s the SD?
Can this topical application of lidocaine really help my backache?
Lidoderm is only approved for post-herpetic neuralgia, where the nerves closest to the skin are sending lots of pain signals.
But many doctors have prescribed it for other chronic pain situations, where nerve fiber remodelling may make the nerves in the skin part of the problem in the pain situation.
Caveat: I don’t prescribe lidoderm very often, and haven’t had much success with it when I have. But supposedly those folks who find that their skin is very sensitive and touching it triggers more problems with pain deeper into the tissue report that it can and does help them.
I would not recommend it at all for basic musculo-skeletal back pain due to an acute strain, or even an old injury. But if the skin is hypersensitive to stimulation, and one finds that this is a trigger for worse and/or deeper pain, it might help.
Studies are ongoing to see whether it is effective against other types of back or even joint pain, like that due to osteoarthritis. I believe early reports indicate that it can give additional benefit. I am not sure of the mechanism that is being hypothesized for why it may help.
Consult your own doc if you really want to know if it’s right for you.
My back was injured three years ago in a car accident, and I have a lot of muscle pain in my upper back. (It was diagnosed as “whiplash”, though I hate that term.) Nothing gave me much relief until my doctor prescribed Lidoderm. I was very skeptical when she suggested it, because I’ve had a lot of different treatments and prescriptions that sounded promising but ended up a dud.
Lidoderm does not completely eliminate my discomfort, but it does bring it down to a manageable level. (It dulls that “burning muscle” type pain for me.) My husband also has a prescription for it to help with his sciatica. (I’m sure as hell I spelled that wrong.) He says it works wonders for him.
My doctor told me that she has also had arthritis patients report relief from using the patches on the affected areas, and, as Qadgop mentioned, for people with ultra-sensitive skin conditions.
I’d suggest you ask your doctor if he/she has any samples of it to see if it works for you, because it’s very expensive.
My doc prescribed it, so I’m using it. But it just seems a little odd to me.
Is it working for me?
Dunno. Between the ice, the anti-inflammatories, the muscle relaxers, the patches, and the resting, I’m feeling less pain and stiffness, but who knows which is doing what to what degree.
My girlfriend had a slipped disc. Tried Duragesic patches (hi-octane narcotic patches generally used for terminal cancer patients), didn’t make a dent in the pain. Lidoderm did, though. Go figure.
I take anti-inflamatories, muscle relaxants and pain meds every day. If I don’t use the Lidoderm, I feel a difference.
My only beef with the patches is the bunching. Don’t try sleeping with one on-- they always bunch up. I’ve found that the best way to use them is to take a shower before applying it in the morning, and wearing it while I’m at work, but I still have to smooth them down sometimes.