Anesthesia Summary If you are having surgery, your doctor will give you medicine called an anesthetic. Anesthetics reduce or prevent pain. There are three main types: Local – numbs one small area of the body. You stay awake and alert. Regional – blocks pain in an area of the body, such an arm or leg. A common type is epidural anesthesia, which is often used during childbirth. General – makes you unconscious. You do not feel any pain, and you do not remember the procedure afterwards. You may also get a mild sedative to relax you. You stay awake but may not remember the procedure afterwards. Sedation can be used with or without anesthesia. The type of anesthesia or sedation you get depends on many factors. They include the procedure you are having and your current health. Related Issues After Anesthesia: The Patient’s Active Role Assists in Recovery American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Anesthesia & Down Syndrome National Down Syndrome Society Anesthesia Awareness American Society of Anesthesiologists Before Anesthesia: The Patient’s Active Role Makes a Difference American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Effects of Anesthesia American Society of Anesthesiologists Preanesthesia Questionnaire American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Role of the Physician Anesthesiologist American Society of Anesthesiologists Spinal Headaches Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Statistics and Research Anesthesia National Institute of General Medical Sciences Encyclopedia Anesthesia – what to ask your doctor – adult Anesthesia – what to ask your doctor – child CSF leak Malignant hyperthermia Teenagers Anesthesia — What to Expect (For Teens) Nemours Foundation Array Anesthesia Basics Nemours Foundation Conscious sedation for surgical procedures Epidural block General anesthesia Spinal and epidural anesthesia Children Anesthesia: What to Expect (For Parents) Nemours Foundation What Is a Pediatric Anesthesiologist? American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Anesthesia National Institutes of Health Start Here General Anesthesia Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Types of Anesthesia Nemours Foundation Specifics Hand Surgery: Anesthesia American Society for Surgery of the Hand Obesity and Anesthesia American Society of Anesthesiologists Outpatient Surgery American Society of Anesthesiologists Speak Up: Anesthesia and Sedation Joint Commission Treatments and Therapies Herbal Products and Your Anesthestic American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Women Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Anesthesia American Society of Anesthesiologists Journal Articles Anesthesia Seniors Seniors and Anesthesia American Society of Anesthesiologists Latest News Anesthesia Not Linked to Long-Term Mental Decline, Study Finds HealthDay
