<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Lidocaine and other over-the-counter numbing creams are wonderful balms if you have a painful skin irritation. But be careful how you use these topical anesthetics. The FDA has just issued an advisory against applying such creams, gels, or ointments to large areas of the body. Also, you shouldn&amp;#039;t cover your skin with plastic wrap after you apply the cream or use any kind of heat (like from a hair dryer) over the area. &amp;quot;When skin temperature increases, the amount of anesthetic reaching the bloodstream is unpredictable, and the risk of life-threatening side effects increases with greater amounts of lidocaine in the blood,&amp;quot; according to the FDA statement. Those side effects include such scary problems as irregular heartbeat, seizures, breathing difficulties, and coma. There have even been fatalities. Recently, a study came out showing that applying lidocaine to your breasts before undergoing a mammogram made the procedure more comfortable. Good Housekeeping, like many other publications, reported on this study. Now, however, based on the new FDA advisory, we say: Don&amp;#039;t do it. You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol), but don&amp;#039;t apply numbing creams to your breasts. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a17959/pain-cream-alert/?src=shelter_footer>