BPS Position Statement on Lidocaine Plasters
2nd Aug 2018
Lidocaine 5% medicated plasters for localised neuropathic pain:
A position statement from The British Pain Society
The British Pain Society is a multidisciplinary, multiprofessional organisation representing
people living with pain and the professionals who care for them.
Neuropathic pain is primarily a clinical description and not a diagnosis. People
with neuropathic pain are a heterogeneous group in terms of underlying pathophysiology,
clinical symptoms and signs they present with. Many people, for instance following surgery
or injury or after shingles, develop features of neuropathic pain. Fortunately with time, only
a very small proportion (2%-5%) is likely to have persistent symptoms. In the general
population the prevalence of long term severe disabling neuropathic pain is estimated to be
less than 1% [Torrance et al 2013]...