Anyone use lidocaine patches for pain?

[The empressof all]

I picked up my first box today and will try one tomorrow. 12 hours on then 12 hours off. Did you find it helpful for back and nerve pain?

[reflection]

1. I have tried them several times over the last few years.

I found them marginally useful, mildly effective for slight muscular pain, useless for anything else. I hope you have better results than I did. My wife loves them.

[procon]

2. I tried them

for post herpetic neuralgia following an episode of shingles, and while its not the same as your problem, the patches had no effect whatsoever on my pain. I did get very good results after 3 acupuncture sessions. I hope you get some relief.

[NYC_SKP]

3. I hope these work for you, TEOA!

Pain sucks. I've never tried patches but I have a large vial that was for dental pain.

[catbyte]

5. They help with skin pain from my PHN, but not with the deep nerve pain.

[CountAllVotes]

6. Yes I have tried them

They help a little bit but not a lot. They are also very expensive (like WOAH!!!).

My husband has developed sort sort of pain going down his leg and his doctor recommended these same patches for this problem and they have helped him quite a bit.

So, I suspect it is a hit or miss sort of thing.

As for me, nothing much helps my back and nerve pain as I have MS other than narcotics it seems which are becoming almost impossible to get thanks to the FDA, etc.

However, that said, I am getting a NEW bed delivered on Thursday (YEAH!!!) from overstock.com for ~$500.00! I can hardly wait as here it is at 3:30 a.m. and I had to get up because the back pain is bad right now from the old, too soft bed I have had for the past 5+ years now (how I've put up with it for this long is beyond me -- cost a big issue as I paid almost $1,000.00 for the bed I have now which is a Simmons Beauty Rest, a bed I'd be hard pressed to recommend).

I bought a new bed from overstock.com very recently (it made me want a new bed and I realized it was doable) for someone else. The person I bought it for is very happy with it (a queen size bed made by Serta with a Euro top on it and it is comfortable -- got the same sort of thing for myself in a full size; cost about $500.00 as well).

I know this sounds odd but you can get a great deal from overstock.com (delivery, set-up and removal of old bed if you like) for not much at all (keep your eye open for coupons by subscribing to their mailing list via email!). I was shocked by their low prices and the quality is outstanding best I can tell.

You may consider investing in a new bed for your back and nerve pain. It can make all of the difference in the world!

Note to those with chronic/severe back pain: Do not buy a hard mattress. You need something with a bit of "give" to it so a hard surface tends to only further exacerbate the pain.

Best of luck with the patches. I really hope they help you!