Emla cream lidocaine prilocaine463188

How does it work?

Emla cream contains two active ingredients, lidocaine (previously known as lignocaine in the UK) and prilocaine. These are both medicines called local anaesthetics. They are used to numb areas that would otherwise feel pain.

Pain is caused by the stimulation of pain receptors at the ends of nerves. The stimulation causes sodium to enter the nerve ending, which causes an electrical signal to build up in the nerve. When this electrical signal is big enough, it passes along the nerve to the brain, where the signal is interpreted as pain.

Lidocaine and prilocaine work by temporarily blocking this pathway of pain signals along nerves. They do this by stopping the sodium entering the nerve ending at the site of the pain. This prevents an electrical signal building up and passing along the nerve fibres to the brain.

When Emla cream is applied to the skin, the lidocaine and prilocaine prevent pain signals passing from that area to the brain and so numb the skin. This means otherwise painful procedures can be performed without causing pain.

The cream can be used to temporarily numb the surface of the skin before procedures such as injections, taking blood samples and minor skin surgery. In adults, the cream is applied in a thick layer underneath a dressing up to five hours before the procedure, and left on for at least one hour (at least two hours for procedures on large areas, eg split skin grafting). Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will either apply the cream, or show you how much to use and where to apply it. This will depend on the procedure that will be performed. The dressing is removed just before the medical procedure starts. You can get dressings to use with the cream from your pharmacist or doctor.

The amount of cream to be used for children and the length of time it is left on will depend on the child's age and weight. You should follow the instructions given by your doctor or nurse.

Under the supervision of a medical professional, the cream may also be used to temporarily numb the genitals in adults before the removal of genital warts (no dressings required for this use). The cream is applied five to ten minutes before this procedure starts http://juanfc.lcc.uma.es/groups/wikideprueba/wiki/ccf02/Emla_Cream_Summary_of_Product_Characteristics9912653.html.
What is it used for?

  In adults, term newborn infants and children under the age of 18 years, Emla can be used to temporarily numb the surface of the skin before potentially painful procedures such as injections, taking blood and minor skin surgery.
  In adults only, Emla can be used to temporarily numb the genital skin before surgical treatment of localised lesions, such as the removal of genital warts. In adult men it can also be used to numb the genital skin before injections of local anaesthetics into this area. A doctor or nurse must supervise the use of Emla when used on the genitals.

Warning!

  Carefully follow the instructions supplied with the cream, or given by your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. The cream should not be rubbed into the skin.
  Wash your hands after applying the cream, unless your hands are the area being treated.
  Take care to avoid contact of this cream with the eyes, as this could numb the eye and prevent its protective reflexes, resulting in irritation. If you accidentally get the cream in your eyes, rinse well with lukewarm water or saline solution and protect the eye until sensation returns.