lidocaine topical vs nitrofurantoin
Side-by-side comparison of lidocaine topical and nitrofurantoin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Drugs That May Cause Methemoglobinemia When Used with LIDODERM Patients who are administered local anesthetics are at increased risk of developing methemoglobinemia when concurrently exposed to the following drugs, which could include other local anesthetics: Examples of Drugs Associated with Methemoglobinemia : Class Examples Nitrates/Nitrites nitric oxide, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nitrous oxide Local anesthetics articaine, benzocaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, procaine, ropivacaine, tetracaine Antineoplastic agents cyclophosphamide, flutamide, hydroxyurea,...
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor you closely for signs of low oxygen, like blue skin or trouble breathing. Use this combination with caution.
Lidoderm
Macrobid, Macrodantin
Lidoderm is a skin patch that contains the numbing medicine lidocaine. It is used to relieve nerve pain after shingles.
Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic medicine. It is used to treat infections of the urinary tract.
Lidoderm is used to relieve pain caused by post-herpetic neuralgia. This is nerve pain that can happen after you have shingles. The patch should only be applied to skin that is not broken or irritated.
This medicine treats urinary tract infections (UTIs). It works against certain bacteria like E. coli, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter. It is not for treating kidney infections or abscesses around the kidney.
Lidoderm contains lidocaine, a local anesthetic. It works by numbing the area where you apply the patch. This reduces pain signals in that area.
Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic that stops bacteria from growing. It damages the bacteria's DNA, which kills the bacteria. This helps to clear up the infection in your urinary tract.
- • Blisters where you put the patch
- • Bruising where you put the patch
- • Burning feeling where you put the patch
- • Skin color changes where you put the patch
- • Skin irritation where you put the patch
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Vomiting
No adverse event reports.
- Urinary tract infection 1,301
- Tiredness 1,240
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,186
- Head pain 1,103
- Pain 964
Using Lidoderm with certain drugs can increase the risk of a blood disorder called methemoglobinemia. Tell your doctor about all other medicines you take.
This medicine can cause serious side effects. Rarely, it can cause deadly allergic reactions, lung problems, liver problems, and nerve damage. Tell your doctor right away if you have trouble breathing, yellowing of the skin, numbness, or tingling.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using Lidoderm. It is not known if Lidoderm can harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if Lidoderm passes into breast milk.
Do not take this medicine if you are 38-42 weeks pregnant or in labor. It could cause anemia in the baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
How to Read This lidocaine topical vs nitrofurantoin Comparison
lidocaine topical is classified in the Topical Anesthetic drug class, while nitrofurantoin sits within the Nitrofuran Antibiotic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, lidocaine topical has 0 submissions while nitrofurantoin has 5,794. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs can cause a blood problem that makes it hard for your body to get enough oxygen. using them together increases the risk of this serious condition.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between lidocaine topical and nitrofurantoin - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.