Just had 4% Lidocaine prescribed to me as a nasal spray, the doctor says it will numb the areas where I have pain. Wondering if anyone had heard of this or had any success with it.

Just did a quick review of medical literature covering the last 8-years and found 3-4 reports giving "mushy", positive reports to this med.

Overall sense: it's inconsistent in effect but  no significant side effects.

Over the years, it has gained little attention from folks here.

I have used 4% Lidocaine and also 10% cocaine drops to try to abort my CH.  At best, 1 in 3 acute attacks were aborted.  The worst part, is the position you need to be in for this to work.

You must lay flat on your back, hyper-extending your neck backwards (Chin straight up) and rotate your head 45 degrees toward the painful side.  You must remain motionless for at LEAST 5 minutes.

This is to allow the local anesthetic to drain to the sphenopallatine ganglion fossa (area).  Those anesthetics are ment to travel up those nerves to try to put the trigeminal ganglion in a state of anesthesia.

Staying motionless in that position makes my CH attack 10x worse than being upright and pacing or rocking.

There are other side effects that were minor to me, but the swallowing reflex can be effected and could allow choking.  I would try it, if I were you, because another tool in the belt is worth having, I just wouldn't sell the farm to get it.

I hope this was clear, feel free to ask more questions.

Ray

I had limited sucess with a 15% solution spray years ago - lower strengths didn't do anything for me. Too many other things are far more effective for me to fool with it.

Marc

I didn't have any luck with the spray... it was very painful using it. I did have some gel pushed up my nose on the affected side in the ER once. It soothed my nostril, but didn't abort the CH.

Ray, I wonder if laying on your back, with knees bent (to take any strain off your lower back), and having your head over the side of the bed, so your neck would extend naturally, then turning your head to the affected side would be more comfortable.

Also, if you are using drops in the nostril, I wonder if you could use O2, and mouth breathe, if necessary.

The things we do to kill a hit... I think if I had to be in that position, I'd throw out my neck, and not be able to move.  :-/

Chris:

My head was off the bed, but the horizontal position made the headache much worse.  I was able to combine with O2, by mouth breathing....


Ray