What should you know about local anaesthetic over the counter?

Local anaesthetic reduces sensation in a limited area by temporarily interrupting pain signals in nearby nerves. Creams, gels, sprays, or patches may be intended for skin or the lining of the mouth; a product suitable for one area may be unsafe on another. Injectable local anaesthetic used for procedures is selected, prepared, and monitored by a clinician. It is different from a shop-bought topical product.

Numbness can hide a wound, infection, pressure injury, or worsening joint or nerve problem. Numbing a painful area can also make it easier to overuse an injured body part. Relief that fades quickly does not show that the underlying problem has healed.

Read the label before each use, apply only the stated amount to the stated body area, and wash your hands afterwards. Do not put it on broken or infected skin unless a clinician has advised this. Keep it away from the eyes and mouth unless the product is specifically made for that site, and do not cover the area tightly unless instructed. Avoid combining several numbing products without professional advice.

Ask a pharmacist or clinician before use if you are pregnant, caring for a child, have a significant skin condition, or take medicines that affect sensation or heart rhythm. For deeper back, joint, or nerve pain, assessment may be more useful than repeated surface numbing. Relevant procedures include [Cortisone Injection](/treatments/non-surgical-orthopedics/cortisone-injection/) and [Nerve Root Block](/treatments/spine-care/nerve-root-block/).

Stop using the product and seek urgent help for trouble breathing, facial swelling, widespread rash, faintness, severe dizziness, unusual drowsiness, or a seizure. Get prompt medical assessment for increasing redness, warmth, swelling, drainage, fever, a deep wound, new weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Persistent or unexplained pain also deserves an examination, even if numbness briefly helps.

Which product and body area are appropriate for my pain? How long should I use it, and what symptoms would mean I should stop? Could another treatment, such as an [Epidural Steroid Injection](/treatments/spine-care/epidural-steroid-injection/), [Facet Joint Injection](/treatments/spine-care/facet-joint-injection/), or [Sacroiliac Joint Injection](/treatments/spine-care/sacroiliac-joint-injection/), be relevant to the diagnosed cause?