The Various Types Of Anesthesia

By Lila Barry


Anaesthesia refers to a condition whereby sensation is blocked temporarily or taken away. This is usually done during an operation that results into cutting of various areas hence the need to numb the body to ensure that someone does not feel the pain during the process. It is usually induced and leads to loss of muscle reflexes, responsiveness and one is normally in a state of amnesia. There are different types of anesthesia that may be used by doctors with each type suitable for a specific condition and area of the body.

One kind of anaesthesia is local anaesthesia. It is usually a drug or ointment that is applied onto a small surface of the body to numb that area only. It may be used in minor surgeries whereby one is discharged the same day after the operation. Depending on what the doctor would want to achieve, someone can either be awake or sedated when this anaesthesia is used.

Another suitable anaesthesia used by doctors is the regional anaesthesia. This one is quite similar to the local one, the difference being that it is used to create numbness on a cluster of muscles. This leads to a larger area being numb as compared to when using the local anaesthesia. This type is usually used in ensuring that the patient is comfortable during and after the procedure.

Another type that may be used to ensure that the patient is completely unconscious during the surgery is general anaesthesia. When this anaesthesia is used it usually seems as though someone is sleeping during the operation and once they wake up, they usually do not have any recollection of what happened. This kind of anesthesia can be given by inhalation of gases by breathing through a mask or putting a needle directly into a vein.

Caudal anaesthesia is another kind that may be used before a surgery. This type is most suitable for specific parts of the body like the hips, buttocks, inner things and the inner areas of the leg. This one is a type of regional anaesthesia therefore it is used to make a cluster of nerves numb in readiness for an operation.

Other types of regional anaesthesia that are used frequently include IV regional and interscalene block. Since they function differently, each is administered on a specific part of the body. For instance, the interscalene block is used on areas like the arm and shoulders while the IV regional one is normally used on the arm or leg.

Spinal anaesthesia is another kind that a doctor can use. It is normally used to numb a patient from their abdomen to the feet. This is usually done during procedures like childbirth or the removal of the appendix.

The varied types of anesthesia are appropriate for use by physicians. With respect to the type of surgery you may have, you will be given a particular anaesthesia. You may be given this anaesthesia through breathing in some vapor or it can be injected into a vein. Before any kind of anaesthesia can be used, it is considered essential for the physician to understand if the patient reacts negatively to any kind of anaesthesia. This can prevent cases when people react adversely when injected a specific type of anaesthesia.




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