The management of oral mexiletine and intravenous lidocaine to treat chronic painful symmetrical distal diabetic neuropathy.

Intravenous local anesthestics administered to patients with chronic pain have been shown to provide significant levels of systemic analgesia. Furthermore, oral mexiletine which is similar in structure has been demonstrated to be efficacious in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. It is recommended that this combined form of treatment be considered with those patients whose diabetic neuropathy is resistant to more conventional forms of treatment.