Benzocaine is a local anesthetic used to relieve certain types of pain. It has various presentations and each of them is used in very specific situations.
It is generally used against skin ulcers or to relieve various conditions of the oral cavity or throat. And second The expertsthis drug provides “temporary, noncausal relief from throat pain and irritation.”
Want to know more about this medicine, what it does in the body and other interesting facts? If so, continue reading everything we discuss below.
About pain and medicines to cure it
Before learning more about benzocaine, it’s important to go through a couple of details about what pain is and how to deal with it properly.
Pain is the body’s way of indicating that something is not working as it should. That is why it appears in case of illness, blows, cuts and other health problems.
For pain relief there are two groups of drugs: analgesics and anesthetics.
- painkillers They are responsible for preventing nerve impulse transmission, numbing the area and preventing the perception of pain.
- anesthetics they completely block the pain, both in a state of consciousness and asleep.
It is important to note that there is no anesthetic that can be used interchangeably, therefore, self-medication is not recommended. It must always be the doctor who prescribes the drugs to his patients and the type of treatment they must follow.
Use of benzocaine
Benzocaine works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses. The mechanism by which they achieve this effect is by blocking sodium channels.
It is indicated for local anesthesia of the mouth before surgery or in dental procedures. It is also used against minor cuts, scrapes, burns or muscle pain.
It is also used in the form of tablets to dissolve in the mouth. to anesthetize small oral wounds, like canker sores It is absorbed slowly, its action begins immediately and lasts about 10-15 minutes.
Their action on the heart means that these medicines are also used for cardiac arrhythmias, since they local anesthetics can depress the heart muscle.
For all of the above there are numerous presentations of benzocaine, both in the form of sprays, pills, suppositories, solutions and also in the form of a gel for the gums or drops for optical application.
Adverse effects of benzocaine
Most local anesthetics are highly effective and are used in routine practice. However, they must be used very carefully, according to the doctor’s instructions, otherwise adverse reactions may occur in some cases.
It must be taken into account that most of local anesthetics have both stimulating and depressant effects on the central nervous system. In low concentrations, sedatives predominate, but when increased, stimulants increase, which can cause restlessness or trembling.
In general, hypersensitivity reactions are less frequent, which can lead to the appearance of allergic dermatitis.
Benzocaine should be used very carefully in children as it can cause methemoglobinemia, an adverse reaction which in some cases can be fatal. It is in fact totally contraindicated in children under the age of two, given the risk it poses to their health.
New perspectives of use for local anesthetics
Blockage of sodium channels that produce painkillers could become a therapeutic strategy in the future against other pathologies such as epilepsy, degenerative diseases or stroke.
For this reason we continue to investigate the potential of benzocaine and many other drugs, with the aim of improving existing treatments and, of course, improving the quality of life of patients.
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