The Different Types Of Anesthesia

By Lila Barry


Anaesthesia is a condition where there is a blockage of sensations temporarily. This is usually done during a surgery to ensure that the patient does not feel any pain during the surgery. Depending on the kind of surgery one is going to be having and the area where one will be operated, there are different types of anesthesia in the market.

One type of anaesthesia is local anaesthesia. It may be a cream that is applied onto a little area of the body to numb that part only. Doctors use it in minor surgical procedures whereby the patient is released exactly the same next day of the operation. Based on exactly what the physician may wish to achieve, someone may either be sedated or awake if this anaesthesia is being used.

The other common kind is known as regional anaesthesia. When using this one, a drug is applied to a cluster of nerves. This leads to the numbing of a larger part of the body for example below the waist. This type is specifically used to ensure the patient is comfortable during the surgical procedure and after the operation.

Another type that might be of use to make sure that the individual is totally unconscious throughout the surgical treatment is general anaesthesia. When the doctor administers this anaesthesia, the patient is usually unconscious throughout the operation and when they wake up, they often have no memory of what might have happened. This type of anesthesia could be given to a patient through inhalation of gases by breathing via a mask or placing a needle straight 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 commonly used kinds of regional anaesthesia include interscalene block and IV regional anaesthesia. Each one of these kinds is suitable for use on a specific body part. The interscalene block is commonly used by doctors to number the areas around the shoulders and arm during a surgical procedure. The IV regional block on the other hand is used to numb the leg or arm during an operation.

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.

All the different types of anesthesia that can be used by doctors are efficient. The doctor therefore determines the most suitable one depending on where the operation is going to be done. Doctors also determine first if the patient is allergic to any kind of anesthesia before using it. This is important as it can play a major role in avoiding a major problem from occurring. Depending also on the type of anaesthesia that is going to be used on you, it may be administered through injection or inhaling.




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