How do you cut Lidoderm patches to fit the pain site? Lengthwise or widthwise or in strips?

How you cut them depends on which nerve you are intercepting.

I use 1/2 patch on the tops of my feet for intercepting most of the nerves in the foot. Also 1/4 across the medial side of the ankle if necessary. 1/2 patch behind the knees if necessary to intercept higher. I use whole patches on my lower back when needed.

Strips on fingers/toes are not really going to do much. The amount of lidocaine reduces with each volume decrease cut.

I do use Salonpas patches in strips on my fingers where swelling is obvious and those do work in small amounts.

Do not use Lidoderms on the bottoms of the feet...the skin is too thick there for them to work... and you need to intercept the nerves when they join into a major axon, and not at the dendrite level.

Thank you so much! This is very helpful. I have postherpetic neuralgia around my lower back. Should I use half a patch per day, or 1 patch or 2 patches per day?

How long should I use the patches? Daily for 2 or 3 days, or longer? I heard some people use them for 12 hours on and then 12 hours off.

Shingles live in the dorsal roots of the spine. So applying a patch along the spine on the side effected, is the most helpful.

You should use a patch every day, 12 hrs on and 12 hrs off.

I used them for over 2 weeks, on my MP nerve pain in my right thigh, and by using every day, the nerve calmed down after many years of over-firing, and went into remission. They don't work instantly either, but over several days you will notice improvements.

These patches work by slowly releasing lidocaine into the area, which then blocks the sodium channels in the nerve axons to prevent the signals from moving to the brain. Not using every day reduces the lidocaine and may not be strong enough to
get the job done.

Where on the back depends on your shingles presentation.
Dermatome maps show which nerves from the spine go where...
http://www.backpain-guide.com/Chapte...culopathy.html

For shingles pain don't put the patches at the endpoints of the map. For example, the blue gray color from lumbar area, go to the feet. Don't put a patch on the feet (that shows that color), but do put it over the lumbar area of the back. It will work better. Sometimes Lidoderms don't stick well... so you may have to tape it down.

Did the pain come back when you were off for 12 hours during those 2 weeks?

No. I can have a brief twinge if exposed to heat..hot tub
Or heating pad. But the all day pain and lightening bolts
Which stabbed me all day long are gone. I didn't expect
A remission but just some relief. The patches were just new
on the market and it took some experimenting to find
the exact spot where the nerve was to place the patches.

I still use them for my feet occasionally and my knee. But not often and I pulse them for about a week, when I do. They have
worked for me well. I have arthritis as well as PN.

I am fortunate to have the shingles diagnosis on file with
my insurance. So they pay for them partially.

Welcome davidl588. Others will be along.