Eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine (EMLA) called
EMLA creamand it’s a topical cream prescribed to numb an area of skin in preparation of a procedure. Prescription creams contain 2.5 percent lidocaine and 2.5 percent prilocaine. It has a numbing effect that helps to relieve any minor discomfort during medical procedures. The area needs to be cleaned before applying and dry the area before applying the EMLA cream. It’s recommended to wear gloves when applying EMLA cream. Use a generous amount to form a thick layer, there’s no need to rub the EMLA cream into the skin it has a natural trait that will penetrate the skin on its own. Follow the directions given by the prescribing physician and be careful not to ingest EMLA cream. EMLA cream is used medically by physicians, surgeons and in some cases by tattoo artists, prior to procedures.Purpose
EMLA is used to relieve minor pain as a local anesthetic prior to blood draws, skin grafting, cleansing leg ulcers and inserting intravenous catheters. Once the cream penetrates the skin it creates a numbing effect that allows minor surgical procedures without the patient feeling any pain. Apply EMLA cream before the procedure for best results for leg ulcers 30 minutes will work, before cleaning of the ulcer is performed to reduce the pain associated with the procedure. The tube of EMLA cream should be used only once for leg ulcers, be sure to discard the tube with any remaining EMLA cream. For more serious surgery procedures, the physician will provide instructions to the time frame that EMLA cream should be applied prior to the a medical procedure. It’s beneficial to follow the instructions otherwise the pain can be unbearable. Instructions can be provided from a pharmacy like canadadrugsunited.com.
Precautions
EMLA should not be used on infected or broken skin, skin rashes, cuts or open wounds, or dermatitis. You need to tell the doctor if you are receiving vaccines to be sure that EMLA can be used. EMLA should not be used on new infants or expectant mothers. Gloves should be worn when applying EMLA cream, and be careful not to get EMLA cream in your eyes, mouth or ears. Using too much EMLA cream can cause an individual to become nervous, dizzy or even have blurred vision with shaky hands. If applying on small children, take extra precaution to ensure EMLA cream is not ingested by the child.
Side Effects
Antibiotics, medicines or health foods can reduce the effect of EMLA creams, be sure to check with the physician prior to be treated with EMLA cream. EMLA cream may affect those with allergies to lidocaine or prilocaine. The ingredients are active reactors causing skin rashes, puffiness, burning or itching of the skin, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing or asthma attacks or hay fever symptoms. Certain blood disorders may also be affected when using EMLA cream; your physician should be notified prior to prescribing EMLA cream. Reactions will vary from person to person, should any of these symptoms occur, it’s best to call a doctor immediately. If these reactions occur, stop using EMLA immediately. In some cases the symptoms may disappear in a short while, a doctor should be notified of any reactions.
Storage
Keep EMLA cream in a cool dry place with temperatures below 30 Celsius and do not allow EMLA to freeze. Be sure to keep the container secured when not in use to prevent loss of medicine benefits. Keep the cream away from any water or dampness, which can destroy the medicinal benefits of EMLA creams and always keep the medicine out of the reach of children.