topical anesthetic
1
4.6
- noun
- /ˈtɑpɪkəl əˈnɛsθɛtɪk/
- Specialized
:
anestésico tópico
- The doctor applied a topical anesthetic to numb the area before the minor surgery.
- deliver topical anesthetic
Examples
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To ease the pain from the burn, he used a topical anesthetic available over the counter.
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Before the procedure, the nurse checked to ensure the topical anesthetic had taken effect.
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Would you go get some more topical anesthetic, please?
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Extensive investigation also increases the need for topical anesthetics, which in turn increases the risk of complications.
Academic text (2004) -
In any case, procaine is actually Novocaine and is a topical anesthetic.
Blog text (25) -
In this position, an adequate amount of topical anesthetic can be delivered to the larynx and upper trachea.
Academic text (2004) -
Another topical anesthetic commonly used is EMLA cream (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics).
Academic text (2015) -
The patient was prepared for septoplasty with intravenous sedation and topical anesthetic with 4% cocaine and 1% xylocaine with epinephrine (1:100,000).
Academic text (1998)
Synonyms
43
4.9
A drug that makes part of the body stop feeling pain during medical treatment
7
3.9
Medicine that makes a small body area lose feeling to stop pain during a medical procedure
1
6.5
A drug or injection that makes one part of the body numb
1
4.1
A drug that temporarily makes part of the body feel no pain during medical treatment
How Extensive
- Specialized
3
4.1
- Specialized
- Specialized
43
4.9
- Specialized
7
3.9
- Specialized
1
4.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'topical' (applied locally to the skin or body surface) with 'anesthetic' (an agent that numbs sensation): together they denote a numbing agent used locally. This adjective+noun composition is transparent and follows common medical collocation patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should understand it.
Etymology
Topical anesthetic comes from the words topical meaning 'applied to a place' and anesthetic meaning 'a drug that stops feeling'. It is a medicine you put on the skin or inside the mouth to make just that small area numb, so it means 'a drug that makes a specific area lose feeling'.