MetaChat - Ask Mecha: Medic! Topical anesthetic?

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21 January 2006

Ask Mecha: Medic! Topical anesthetic? Last night, I smacked my knee hard enough to garner an impressive six inch stitch-worthy gash.→[More:] (Who says scars aren't sexy?)

Today, predictably, it hurts like a sonuvabeetch. Problem is, just about every oral pain reliever I've tried produces side effects that are negative enough so as to make them impractical or altogether useless.

A reasonable alternative seems to be a topical anesthetic. However, outside of Oragel, I'm completely unfamiliar with what's out there and what might work best, pros/cons, etc.

Any and all info is greatly appreciated!

Signed,

Your banged up bunny, Frisbee Girl

post by: Frisbee Girl at: 11:57 | 24 comments

Yikes! No advice, but I hope you're feeling better soon, Fris. (For what it's worth, I'd avoid putting anything like Orajel on it, as those things aren't really meant for wounds.)

posted by jrossi4r 21 January | 12:00

I should add that I have no insurance and entertain no illusions that spending the morning and afternoon at SFGH will result in anything more than a shrug and a comment that Tylenol is my only option. And a $300 bill for said experience.

On preview: thanks jrossi! I bounce back fast, trust me. Being gimpy has never kept me down before.

posted by Frisbee Girl 21 January | 12:04

I hope you're thinking up a good story for the scar. Preferrably something sexy like a Spring Break Shark Attack.

posted by jrossi4r 21 January | 12:06

Ibuprofin for the pain and Benadryl cream on the wound so you don't get infection.

posted by arse_hat 21 January | 12:09

and puppies help.
≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by arse_hat 21 January | 12:10

Ouch. Hope you get better soon (and without too much pain in the interim). We want pictures!

posted by flopsy 21 January | 12:14

Poor Fris!! :(

Dont' use benadryl cream. An antihistamine is not going to do anything to prevent infection. Maybe neosporin, but you are better off just keeping the wound very clean, so it doesn't get infected. Some antiseptic/disinfectant liquid would be good for this. In NZ we have dettol or savlon, but I don't know the brand names over here. They contain Chloroxylenol. OH yeah, betadine. Whack some of that on.

For the pain - hrrmmm. I wouldn't recommend topical anesthetic. Again you want to keep most crap out of the wound. Sorry I can't be more helpful there. I don't know what you should do if you can't take oral meds.

Head to a pharmacy and ask your friendly pharmacist. Free advice!

posted by gaspode 21 January | 12:19

eep! I'm so sorry to hear that, friz! Poor baby!

I think I would try this if I were you.

posted by taz 21 January | 12:23

Definatly neosporin not benadryl. I always mix those up. Just one of the many reasons I'm not a doctor.

posted by arse_hat 21 January | 12:30

Owieowieowie.

Neosporin to help prevent infection.

A plastic bag of crushed ice, wrapped in a damp cloth. If you don't want to bloody up the cloth, you can wrap that up in a plastic bag (it'll be less comfortable).

Feel better sooner!

posted by porpoise 21 January | 12:51

Friz, this is bothering me. Are you sure you're okay? Can we see a photo?

posted by taz 21 January | 13:09

I think taz's pain-killing Neosporin is your best bet plus ice if that isn't sufficient.

Hope the pain goes away quickly!

posted by deborah 21 January | 13:31

Fris, if you need any errands run or help getting around or anything, gimme a call, mkay? I think you've got my number from the meetup. Feel better!

posted by Triode 21 January | 13:35

taz, thanks and understood. It's not pretty, but it's certainly not threatening. I've negotiated a pretty comfortable position with a bag of frozen corn as an icer and am hesitant to disturb it at the moment.

I really should have taken pics last night, ala puke and cry, but had other ideas at the time. I'll try and grab a shot when I change the dressings.

Triode, thanks and will do, though it's more a case of really inconvenient hurting than being seriously hurt. Frisbees are tough, donchaknow.

posted by Frisbee Girl 21 January | 13:45

Hope you're soon feeling better, Frisbee Girl. What about something like ibuprofen gel or cream? I've always found that to help with pain relief.

Phone Walgreen or CVS and ask them if they sell it. In the UK it's called Ibuleve and is often sold for arthritis pain, but the basic premise is the same, you apply it around the hurty bit and it takes away the pain.

posted by essexjan 21 January | 13:54

taz haz it right. The Neosporin will also reduce scarring.

posted by orthogonality 21 January | 14:23

I'd suggest an oral pain reliever from Islay. If you live close to 2200 Fillmore, you should find an excellent selection of Scottish anesthetics in stock.

posted by mosch 21 January | 14:50

On the homeopathic/naturapathic tip, I have a calendula-tea tree oil salve that I put on cuts. It's antiseptic, analgesic and all-natural.

Hope you feel better!

posted by me3dia 21 January | 14:50

And to go along with me3dia's suggestion: raw honey works wonders. Seriously.

posted by gaspode 21 January | 15:18

Ouch, sorry to hear about your injury Frisbee Girl. I'll second or eighth the votes for the pain-killing Neosporin. It works decently well and helps prevent infection and gives the wound a headstart on healing.

Keep it clean though.

And be more careful even if some guys think scars ARE sexy.

posted by fenriq 21 January | 15:27

4 ibuprofen and a pint of guinness got me through a charity wine auction a week after 2 smashed ribs, so I recommend that to everyone. And my ex made it through the weekend with an abscessed tooth with the help of copious amounts of tequila, but other than that, hon, I don't think there is anything to kill the pain except what you're doing - ice, elevation, rest, and possibly some absorbing yet brainless movies? Or romance novels? Poor friz! Feel better soon!

posted by mygothlaundry 21 January | 16:25

Thanks everyone and excellent suggestion, mosch. I go past it every day on my way to and from work.

Though not imbibing last night, I plan to do so after work tonight. Once within the padded safety of my four walls, that is.

posted by Frisbee Girl 21 January | 16:43

Holy cannoli, I wasn't expecting the site to be back up, I was just trying to get back to the exile blog.

But since I'm here: the nasty smackarooni.

posted by Frisbee Girl 22 January | 07:47

That's a hell of a smackarooni. Someday you'll have to regale us all with the heroic tale of this miserable laceration.

I go past it every day on my way to and from work.

Oh man, I'm jealous! I've yet to find anyplace else with such a fine selection.

posted by mosch 22 January | 17:40

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