bupivacaine

Q: What are some side effects of bupivacaine?

Side effects of bupivacaine typically depend on the amount of medication that gets injected, where it's injected, or the pace at which your body gets rid of the medication. For example, too much bupivacaine can affect your brain and spinal cord which can lead to side effects such as restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, ringing in the ear, or blurred vision. If bupivacaine is injected into your spinal cord, you might experience low blood pressure, trouble using the restroom, headache, or backache. Your healthcare team will monitor your heart and your breathing during the procedure to make sure that your dose of bupivacaine is appropriate.

Q: What should I expect after my procedure if I was given bupivacaine?

If your provider gives you [Marcaine (bupivacaine)](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=67578b56-7540-487e-1fba-481255620e78&audience=consumer) for a dental procedure, the numbing effect can last up to 7 hours. During this time, don't chew any solid foods or bite on the numb area to avoid causing injuries to the area. If you've been given bupivacaine in your lower back or spinal cord area, you might experience a temporary loss of feeling in the lower half of your body. You might not be able to move or walk until the effect of bupivacaine wears off. Let your provider know if you have any of the symptoms above.

Generic Marcaine

Used for Anesthesia, Pain

Bupivacaine is a medication that's injected by a trained healthcare provider to numb a specific area of the body before a surgery or procedure. Certain brands of bupivacaine might only be used in certain procedures (e.g. Posimir is only used near the shoulder joint). Bupivacaine needs to be carefully injected since this medication can cause serious problems to other parts of the body, including the heart, lung, brain, and spinal cord.

Reviewed by:

Yen Nguyen, PharmD

Connie Zheng, PharmD

Last reviewed on January 5, 2023

What is Bupivacaine?

What is Bupivacaine used for?

Preventing pain from certain surgeries or procedures

Drug facts

Common Brands	Marcaine, Sensorcaine, Posimir
Drug Class	Local anesthetic
Controlled Substance Classification	Not a controlled medication
Generic Status	No lower-cost generic available
Availability	Prescription only

Common Brands

Marcaine, Sensorcaine, Posimir

Drug Class

Local anesthetic

Controlled Substance Classification

Not a controlled medication

Generic Status

No lower-cost generic available

Availability

Prescription only

Common questions about Bupivacaine

Bupivacaine is an injectable local anesthetic (numbing medication) used in adults to numb a specific part of the body to prevent pain before a surgery or procedure. Bupivacaine works to numb the area by blocking the nerves from sending pain signals to your brain. Bupivacaine is injected by a trained healthcare provider who will determine the dose depending on your health, procedure, and area of the injection.

Side effects of Bupivacaine typically depend on the amount of medication that gets injected, where it's injected, or the pace at which your body gets rid of the medication. For example, too much Bupivacaine can affect your brain and spinal cord which can lead to side effects such as restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, ringing in the ear, or blurred vision. If Bupivacaine is injected into your spinal cord, you might experience low blood pressure, trouble using the restroom, headache, or backache. Your healthcare team will monitor your heart and your breathing during the procedure to make sure that your dose of Bupivacaine is appropriate.

Bupivacaine can cause serious heart problems, especially in those with a current heart condition. The risk is also higher if the medication is injected at a higher dose or if it's injected into certain areas of the body. If you have a heart problem (e.g. low blood pressure, heart block), let your provider know so they can adjust your dose to lower your risk of serious heart problems. Your healthcare team will watch your heart rate, heart rhythm, and blood pressure closely while you're receiving this medication.

Bupivacaine isn't intended to make you sleepy during your procedure. This medication is given to numb the area where your provider gives the injection. High doses of Bupivacaine can affect your brain and spinal cord which might cause drowsiness in some people. Speak to your provider about other options that help you sleep through your procedure. If you do experience drowsiness, don't drive until the medication wears off.

If your provider gives you Marcaine (Bupivacaine) for a dental procedure, the numbing effect can last up to 7 hours. During this time, don't chew any solid foods or bite on the numb area to avoid causing injuries to the area. If you've been given Bupivacaine in your lower back or spinal cord area, you might experience a temporary loss of feeling in the lower half of your body. You might not be able to move or walk until the effect of Bupivacaine wears off. Let your provider know if you have any of the symptoms above.

Bupivacaine dosage

Typical dosage for Bupivacaine

Interactions between Bupivacaine and other drugs

Bupivacaine may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Bupivacaine. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Chloroprocaine
Cocaine
Fospropofol
Hyaluronidase
Levobupivacaine
Lidocaine
Mepivacaine
Prilocaine
Procaine
Propofol
Propranolol
St John's Wort
Verapamil

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Alacepril
Benazepril
Captopril
Cilazapril
Delapril
Enalaprilat
Enalapril Maleate
Fosinopril
Imidapril
Lisinopril
Moexipril
Pentopril
Perindopril
Quinapril
Ramipril
Spirapril
Temocapril
Trandolapril
Zofenopril

What are alternatives to Bupivacaine?

There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Bupivacaine. Compare a few possible alternatives below.

Bupivacaine

Used for:

Preventing pain from certain surgeries or procedures

View prices

Ropivacaine (Naropin)

Used for:

Preventing pain from certain surgeries or procedures
Treatment of short-term pain

View prices

News about Bupivacaine

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Cortisone shots are corticosteroid injections given into targeted areas of your body to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Learn about seven side effects.

Bupivacaine images

This medicine is Colorless Vial.colorless - Bupivacaine Hydrochloride 0.25% Solution for Injection

References

Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. (2021). Bupivacaine hydrochloride injection, solution [package insert]. DailyMed.

Hospira, Inc. (2024). Marcaine with epinephrine- bupivacaine hydrochloride and epinephrine bitartrate injection, solution; Marcaine- bupivacaine hydrochloride injection, solution [package insert]. DailyMed.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

What is Bupivacaine?

What is Bupivacaine used for?

Drug facts

Common questions about Bupivacaine

What is Bupivacaine?

What are some side effects of Bupivacaine?

Can Bupivacaine affect my heart?

Does Bupivacaine cause drowsiness?

What should I expect after my procedure if I was given Bupivacaine?

Bupivacaine dosage

Typical dosage for Bupivacaine

Interactions between Bupivacaine and other drugs

What are alternatives to Bupivacaine?

News about Bupivacaine

Bupivacaine images

References

Common questions about Bupivacaine

What is Bupivacaine?

What are some side effects of Bupivacaine?

Can Bupivacaine affect my heart?

Does Bupivacaine cause drowsiness?

What should I expect after my procedure if I was given Bupivacaine?