Lidocaine is very painful going in at first. It’s great for longer procedures, but you’re just about as good bearing through the rabies shots as you would be getting the lidocaine shots and then having to get stabbed more times in areas that may or may not have gotten sufficient lidocaine to numb you completely.

I’ve given it in the ER a handful of times, and it’s easily one of the cruelest things I have ever done to another human. Definitely better than rabies, but not better than much else… People don’t tend to get bitten in large, low innervation areas. It tends to be in the sensitive, low-fat, low muscle areas which makes the injections so so painful. I’ve given them in a shin, palm of the hand, and thumb.