Onset time of topical analgesia with EMLA 5%: no reduction with glyceryl trinitrate

Many adults are distressed by painful investigations or treatment, including venepuncture. The early effects of Eutectic Mixture of Local Anaesthetics (EMLA) 5%, on relief of pinprick pain in the antecubital area was investigated and compared with EMLA plus glyceryl trinitrate and with a placebo cream in 100 patients. Topical analgesia after application of EMLA developed within 5 min in 69% and within 10 min in 83% of those tested, significantly different from placebo, (P = 0.01).