Local anaesthetic
Introduction
Local anaesthesia involves numbing an area of the body using a type of medication called a local anaesthetic.
These medicationscan be used to treat painful conditions, prevent pain during a procedure or operation, or relieve pain after surgery.
Unlike general anaesthetics ,local anaestheticsdon't cause you to lose consciousness. This means they're generally safer, don't normally require any special preparation before they can be used,and you can recover from them more quickly.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 30 Nov 2016
Introduction
Find out what local anaesthetics are, when they're used, and what the possible side effects are.
How local anaesthetics work
Local anaesthetics stop the nerves in apart of your body from sending signals to your brain. You won't be able to feel any pain after having a local anaesthetic, although you may still feel some pres
Howlocal anaesthetics are used
Local anaesthetics are usually given by dentists, surgeons, anaesthetists, GPsand other doctors. Some medications containing mild local anaesthetic are also available on prescription or over the count
Risks and side effects
Local anaesthetics are generally very safe and serious problems are rare. You may havesome discomfort when the injection is given, a tingling sensation as the medication wears off, and possibly somem
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