Definition
Procaine is a local anesthetic and can therefore be used for local pain relief. Procaine is one of the oldest known anaesthetics and was already used at the beginning of the 20th century for anaesthesia during amputations. Today, procaine is used especially in dentistry for local anesthesia. Procaine syringes are normally placed directly under the skin by doctors. Injection into blood vessels is not permitted, as it can lead to serious complications.
Indications
Procaine is a local anaesthetic for local pain elimination. A frequent place of use for procaine is dentistry. In many procedures, such as tooth extractions and root canal treatments, procaine can be used to eliminate the nerve that supplies the teeth.
In the lower jaw, a single injection at the point where the mandibular nerve leaves the bone is sufficient. In the upper jaw, injections are necessary at several points to numb the branches of the maxillary nerve. Procaine can also be used in other areas to prevent pain.
Procaine is injected under the skin in the case of nerve blocks to allow the nerve to rest. The drug acts directly on the nerves in depth and can be applied several times. Outside of medicine, procaine can also be used for stinging tattoos and permanent make-up to relieve pain. Procaine can also be used regularly within pain therapy. Nowadays, procaine is rarely used for local anesthesia because there are more effective agents with fewer side effects.
Back pain
Back pain is a common complaint, which affects almost every person at some point in their life. If the back pain is a nervous disorder or blockage, procaine can be injected under the skin. This application can be repeated for several days and the affected nerve can come to rest. The injections can be given by the family doctor. Today there are other local anaesthetics available, which are associated with fewer side effects.
How does procaine work?
Pain at various locations in the body is conducted by the nerves to the brain, where it is consciously perceived. Procaine blocks this conduction. The drug is injected under the skin and migrates to the nerve cells.
There the fat-loving substance is deposited in the fatty cell membrane. Through this storage, various channels for electrolytes are blocked. The sodium can no longer pass through the cell membrane as usual and the formation of an action potential is prevented.
These action potentials, which result from the migration of electrolytes through the membrane, normally travel along the nerves like a wave and form the signal for the brain. Depending on the concentration, certain types of nerves are inhibited. At the lowest dose, only pain sensitivity is initially inhibited, and at higher doses pressure and temperature sensation are also inhibited. This is due to the thickness and sheathing of the nerve types. The effect lasts only a few hours and can then be repeated.
