Xylocaine 2% Jelly: price, uses & cheaper substitutes

Lox 2% Jelly contains lidocaine (lignocaine), a local anaesthetic that numbs the area it touches. It is mainly used to numb and lubricate the urethra before a urinary catheter is passed or a cystoscopy is done, and to numb the skin or back passage before minor procedures. Doctors also prescribe it for short-term relief of painful piles and anal fissures.

Numbing usually starts within a few minutes of application and lasts for roughly 20 to 30 minutes. For catheterisation the jelly is left in place for a few minutes before the catheter is inserted.

Yes, a thin layer applied to the painful area gives short-term relief from the pain and itching of piles or an anal fissure. It only numbs the pain; it does not cure the piles. If you need it every day for more than a week, or there is bleeding, see a doctor.

Lidocaine jelly is used on mucous membranes such as the urethra and back passage by doctors and nurses, and in small amounts for piles. Do not use large amounts inside the body on your own, because lidocaine is absorbed much faster through these linings than through skin and too much can cause serious side effects.