University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA. dsmith@afpr.fammed.washington.edu
Local anesthetics are warranted whenever a clinical procedure causes pain that could be eliminated by their use. Their effectiveness is influenced by many factors, particularly the choice of agent and the technique of administration. The authors discuss the clinical uses and advantages of common local anesthetics and describe three techniques used in the primary care setting: topical application, local infiltration, and field block.