Allergy to lidocaine

Lidocaine is a widely known drug that is used by doctors as a local anesthetic. However, in some individual situations, lidocaine may cause an allergic reaction. Allergy to lidocaine can manifest itself almost harmlessly in the form of usual urticaria or dermatitis. But in severe form the situation becomes much more complicated, because a number of complex allergic reactions such as edema, bronchial asthma and rhinitis, anaphylactic shock, allergic vasculitis, and Quincke edema can occur.

Very often this drug is used in dentistry. And sometimes lidocaine can cause intolerance in some patients. This situation becomes a big news for people who have not previously seen any signs of allergies. And people prone to allergic reactions, doctors immunologists and allergists are advised to pre-test and conduct a series of specific tests, and only after this is allowed the use of lidocaine. Otherwise, treatment can lead to very serious consequences and even death. Therefore, if you are to be treated with local anesthesia, it is very important to know how your body will react to this anesthetic of local anesthesia.

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Causes of allergy to lidocaine

The causes of allergy to lidocaine is its wide range of side effects and its complex chemical composition, from which even a healthy person may feel unwell, and a typical allergic person will suffer for a long time.

Also, the cause of an allergy to lidocaine may be a genetic predisposition. However, doctors say that lidocaine itself is rarely the true cause of allergies. Since in fact most of the side and negative reactions to lidocaine are associated with vegetovascular disorders of the nervous system, mental dysfunctions, and also reaction to the toxins contained in the preparation. These allergic symptoms can be caused not so much by the drug itself as by its additives. For example, methylparaben, which is part of a group of parabens, is often used as a preservative, has a powerful antiseptic effect. Substances of the paraben group are capable of causing an increased sensitivity of the body and anaphylactic shock. Therefore, if the patient is allergic to this supplement, then the use of lidocaine becomes impractical, since methylparaben is included in its composition.

It is worth remembering that drug intolerance and allergy are similar phenomena, but absolutely different. Therefore, an allergic test is necessary in any case.

The fact is that with any exposure to the human body, lidocaine begins to react very quickly, stabilizing the neuronal membranes, and reduces permeability for sodium ions, and this prevents the appearance of action potential and impulses. That is, your brain does not receive a signal of pain from the site of application or the introduction of lidocaine. And as a result of such complex chemical processes, the body can not cope and not take the medicine.

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How is the allergy to lidocaine manifested?

Symptoms of allergy to lidocaine should also be distinguished from symptoms of side effects. Therefore, carefully study the symptoms of each of the phenomena in order to understand what happens to your body, if your reaction to lidocaine is not normal.

• When an allergic reaction occurs, urticaria or dermatitis, which are accompanied by severe itching of the skin, conjunctivitis and runny nose, may appear puffiness of the upper and lower lips, cheeks and larynx, which usually leads to difficulties in swallowing function and breathing, in an extremely severe form, anaphylactic shock occurs.
• If the drug is intolerant, the symptoms of the patient may be different. At first, poor health can manifest itself in the form of dizziness, nausea and vomiting, then drowsiness and apathy appear, and vision impairment is also possible. Because of dizziness, the mind becomes fuzzy, and breathing becomes weakened. In more complex cases, arrhythmia and lowering of arterial pressure are very likely. Anaphylactic shock and cardiac arrest are the most terrible consequences of an allergic reaction to lidocaine. However, experts often show that such reactions are possible only with an overdose of lidocaine.

Allergy to lidocaine in a child

The child's body, by virtue of its development and changes in the immune system to lidocaine, can react absolutely differently. Thus, with the first interaction with an anesthetic, everything can be fine without deviations, and the next time the child may have an allergic reaction to lidocaine or similar drugs. For this it is very important to do an allergy test right before the treatment procedure.

If the allergic test has given a positive result or there is a general intolerance to lidocaine, an alternative may be sevoran - an introductory and supportive general anesthetic. Its inhalation assignment helps the patient to quickly lose consciousness and recover quickly after anesthesia ceases. This form of anesthesia is an order of magnitude more expensive than local anesthetics, but it is very effective, and the treatment procedure with it for the child is painless.

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Diagnosis of allergy to lidocaine

Diagnosis of allergy to lidocaine is as follows:

• If suddenly there was a suspicion of an allergic reaction from any anesthetic, then its application is immediately tried to reduce. But categorically to exclude anesthesia with these drugs is often almost impossible, because their alternative solution is general anesthetics, and this is a serious substitute that increases the likelihood of complications. Moreover, local anesthetics such as lidocaine and procainamide are most often prescribed for arrhythmias, and they are almost indispensable to others. In any case, it is always necessary to assess the risk that an anesthetic may cause a patient, and to measure this risk with possible complications after the withdrawal of lidocaine.
• If the previous reactions, regardless of whether allergic or non-allergic, resulted in a number of disappointing consequences, then it appears necessary to completely abandon the use of lidocaine in any of its forms.
• Before conducting a skin provocation test, the patient is notified of the purpose of the test for the body's reaction, and is warned that there is a possibility of manifestation of non-standard reactions and complications. Often a written consent is taken for the examination, and if the test is carried out on the child, the written consent of his parents is required.
• The ideal accuracy of skin tests with lidocaine is not established, but the choice of a safe means for anesthesia doctors recommend starting with it.
• If the provocative test with lidocaine received a negative result, then the risk of identifying side effects with the use of the drug is minimal.

If you do not want to risk or already know how your body can react to the drug, then you need to conduct an intradermal test. It is done by a nurse with a thin insulin needle, and after the expiration of fifteen minutes, the doctor evaluates the patient's condition, before the planned operation.

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Allergy to lidocaine: how to replace the anesthetic?

To replace lidocaine with other locally anesthetic drugs nowadays is very easy due to the rapid development of medicine. There are a lot of drugs that are similar in action to lidocaine, but do not cause strong side effects. For example, Blokkos, he is four times stronger than lidocaine. It is also used for injuries and the need for surgical intervention, it is used to anaesthetize labor, and is also widely used in dentistry.

There is another proven method of combining local anesthetics and epinephrine. It is used for allergic reactions of the immediate type that develop with the use of drugs, or in reactions such as urticaria, anaphylactic and angioedurotic shock, eating foods, insect bites or other allergens.

Very often, patients with any allergic or side effects to local anesthetics, almost every doctor will recommend to exclude the use of all drugs with the end of "cines", since their principle of action is almost the same. But it is worth remembering that if you have at least once found a non-standard reaction to an anesthetic drug, then you need to do a special test before each procedure.

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Treatment of allergies to lidocaine

At home, you can get rid of an allergic reaction to lidocaine in the following ways:

• If there is dermatitis or urticaria, you need to take a cool shower, also help a cold compress to the site of the localization of the rash. Such measures will help get rid of redness and severe itching caused by allergies. Also reduce the itching ointment from sunburn. Fabric clothing should not provoke itching and irritate the skin.
• Even if a person can not call himself an allergic person, he should have an antihistamine in his medicine cabinet, because in case of an unforeseen allergic reaction, his application is necessary.
• In case of difficulty in breathing, it is necessary to drink a bronchodilator.
• If you feel dizzy, you should immediately give the body a rest. Lie on the bed in such a way that your legs are above your head. Rest in this position will help to bring your blood circulation back to normal.
• If vomiting has begun, this is a clear sign that the body needs to be cleaned. It is necessary to wash the stomach with sorbents. The simplest of them, for example, is activated charcoal.
• You need to drink more water to quickly remove all harmful substances from the body, which are used as additives and stabilizers in the composition of lidocaine.

And, of course, you should limit the use of this anesthetic and, if possible, replace it with another, less harmful to your body. In the future, always consult a doctor, take tests, and never forget to warn the medical staff that you are allergic, as most serious medical procedures are preliminarily anesthetizing the patient with lidocaine.

Medical care for allergic reactions to lidocaine:

• In the hospital, medical workers will promptly block the further spread of the allergen through the body with special preparations.
• With an anaphylactic shock, 0.1 to 0.5 ml of epinephrine is injected.
• First aid for allergy sufferers, further treatment and recovery after contact with the allergen is treated by the administration of glucocorticosteroids and antihistamines.
• Then the patient undergoes symptomatic therapy.

Prevention of allergies to lidocaine

The best way to prevent or minimize the occurrence of an allergic reaction to lidocaine is to try to avoid contact with him and find him an alternative. In this case, it is very difficult and burdensome, since it can cost a lot of money, because of this, the symptoms of allergy to lidocaine is very difficult to control. But it is best to inform the doctor in charge as a prophylaxis before medical procedures that you are worried about your reaction to lidocaine and want to do a skin test. After this procedure, the doctor will be able to determine whether there is a positive or negative reaction to the drug. And if as a result of the test, problems were found, the doctor will find an alternative method of local anesthesia, or use general anesthesia by the sevoran. Before the appointment of lidocaine as an anesthetic, you need to carefully study its properties and the presence of cross-reactions with other drugs and food.

It is highly recommended not to engage in self-management of an allergic reaction to lidocaine, as there is a very high probability of aggravation of the patient's condition. When the first worrying symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor and follow his strict recommendations.

Anastasia Zhitnik