An adverse reaction to local anaesthesia: report of a case.

The safety of local anaesthetic agents is high but adverse reactions do occur. A common mistake among practitioners is misdiagnosing an adverse reaction to local anaesthesia as a hypersensitivity reaction. Some prospective dental patients are unable to undergo routine dental treatment because they have been mislabelled as allergic to local anaesthetics. This case report illustrates the need for practitioners to be sure of the signs and symptoms of potential adverse reactions and their appropriate management.