Anesthesia




What Is Anesthesia?

Basically, anesthesia is the use of medicine to prevent the feeling of pain or another sensation during surgery or other procedures that might be painful (such as getting stitches or having a wart removed). Given as an injection or through inhaled gases or vapors, different types of anesthesia affect the nervous system in various ways by blocking nerve impulses and, therefore, pain. In today’s hospitals and surgery centers, highly trained professionals use a wide variety of safe, modern medications and extremely capable monitoring technology. An anesthesiologist is a doctor who specializes in giving and managing anesthetics — the medications that numb an area of the body or help you fall and stay asleep. In addition to administering anesthesia medications before the surgery, the anesthesiologist will:
  • Monitor your major bodily functions (such as breathing, heart rate and rhythm, body temperature, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels) during surgery
  • Address any problems that might arise during surgery
  • Manage any pain you may have after surgery
  • Keep you as comfortable as possible before, during, and after surgery
A specially trained nurse anesthetist or resident physician, who works with the anesthesiologist and surgeon, may also give you anesthesia (although the anesthesiologist will be the one to manage the anesthesia during the operation).

What Are the Common Side Effects?

You will most likely feel disoriented, groggy, and a little confused when waking up after surgery. Some other common side effects, which should go away fairly quickly, include:
  • Nausea or vomiting, which can usually be alleviated with anti-nausea medication.
  • Chills.
  • Shakiness.
  • Sore throat (if a tube was used to administer the anesthesia or help with breathing)
What Are the Risks?

Anesthesia today is very safe. In very rare cases, anesthesia can cause complications (such as strange heart rhythms, breathing problems, allergic reactions to medications, and even death). However, rare complications usually involve patients with other medical problems. The risks depend on the kind of procedure, the condition of the patient, and the type of anesthesia used. Be sure to talk to your doctor, surgeon, and/or anesthesiologist about any concerns. Most complications can usually be prevented by simply providing the anesthesiologist with complete information before the surgery about things like:
  • Your current and past health (including diseases or conditions such as recent or current colds, or other issues such as snoring or depression)
  • Any medications (prescription and over-the-counter), supplements, or herbal remedies you are taking
  • Any allergies (especially to foods, medications, or latex) you may have
  • Whether you smoke, drink alcohol, or take any recreational drugs
  • Any previous reactions you or any family member has had to anesthesia
To ensure your safety during the surgery or procedure, it’s extremely important to answer all of the anesthesiologist’s questions as honestly and thoroughly as possible. Things that may seem harmless could interact with or affect the anesthesia and cause you to react to it.
Credit: National Institute of Health.
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