Fibromyalgia Resource

The patch, which is worn on the skin like a bandage, functions as an analgesic, reducing pain without numbing the skin. Since no significant amounts of lidocaine enter the bloodstream, it does not cause any serious side effects or interactions with other medications.

The FDA approved patch is being developed to help treat severe long-term pain resulting from nerve injury or damage that has occurred due to shingles. Applied directly on the painful skin, the patch contains a 5% solution of lidocaine, a medication that doctors and dentists have used for years to relieve pain.

One such condition that the lidocaine patch may prove helpful is fibromyalgia (FM). Pain associated with FM or its symptoms (myofascial pain syndrome, vulvar pain, painful skin conditions, etc.) is unique to each patient and affects many different areas of the body. Pain can assume any form or intensity, such as throbbing, burning, stabbing, stinging, or any combination. Numbness or tingling anywhere can be due to contracted structures pressing on nearby nerves.