A lidocaine patch works like an icy hot patch and looks/feels identical. I use them for back pain all the time and you peel off a thin plastic sheet on the back of the patch so it then sticks on your back. I don\'t get any of the medication on my hands. The medication might be slightly different than lidocaine, but the patches work exactly the same way. Hard to imagine getting any of the medication anywhere but on the back (of the person wearing it) unless completely misused. I guess the contamination might have been from a pain patch!!! LOL
