Topical Analgesics

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What they are: Topical analgesics are pain relievers applied directly to the skin in the form of a lotion, cream, or patch to numb the skin and reduce pain.

Examples include: EMLA cream (stands for eutetic mixture of local anesthetics — chemical name: lidocaine and prilocaine); Lidoderm or Xylocaine (chemical name: lidocaine)

What they're used for: Topical analgesics are used to treat symptoms of neuropathy that can be caused by treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.

How they're taken: Lidoderm is a patch applied to the skin for 12 or more hours per day. Creams are applied directly to the skin at regular intervals to control pain.

Possible side effects include:

• skin redness
• rash
• irritation

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