Lidocaine is an anesthetic medicine that is most often used to numb an area of the body before a minor surgical procedure. Lidocaine spray is used to stop migraine and cluster headaches within minutes after they occur. The onset of pain relief is fast and relieves the headache pain quickly after administration.

Migraines are a severe kind of headache with multiple symptoms that can be debilitating. Acute migraine treatments like this spray can be effective at providing relief from symptoms, especially when combined with other acute treatments like migraine capsules. The medicine is sprayed into the nostril on the same side as the headache. It can be repeated 15 minutes later, if needed but should not be used more than one to two sprays per day. Side effects can include a burning sensation or numbness in the nose.

Besides migraines, lidocaine nasal spray has been studied for treating various kinds of facial pain including trigeminal neuralgia and TMJ.

Articles

• Intranasal lidocaine 8% spray for second-division trigeminal neuralgia – British Journal of Anaesthesia
• Evaluation of efficacy of intra-nasal lidocaine for headache relief in patients refer to emergency department – Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
• Intranasal lidocaine for migraine: a randomized trial and open-label follow-up. – Headache
• Topical Medications for Common Orofacial Pain Conditions – Practical Pain Management