Anesthesia is a treatment administered to patients through injection or as gas. It works to alleviate feeling pain during surgical procedures. Anesthesia prepares you physically and emotionally for surgery.
In some cases, anesthesia helps you not to worry by putting you in an unconscious state so you do not get anxious about the procedure done on your body. Patients ask several questions about anesthesia to understand it more or to prepare for surgery.
What Are the Types of Anesthesia?
Anesthesia is divided into three categories, as follows:
- General anesthesia – This makes you fall asleep and lose consciousness. You can get it in vapor or gas form by breathing the gas through a tube or a mask. Your anesthesiologist can also administer it through injection.
- Moderate sedation - a drug induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light tactile stimulation. No interventions are required to maintain a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation is adequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained
- Deep sedation- a drug induced depression of consciousness during which patients cannot be easily aroused but respond purposefully following repeated or painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilation may be inadequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained.
- Regional anesthesia – This numbs your body’s general area that will undergo the operation. Regional anesthesia is injected into your nerves and can allow you to go through the procedure while conscious.
- Local anesthesia – Your doctor uses local anesthesia for minor procedures to numb the isolated part of the procedure. Anesthesia can be administered through injection or by rubbing it on your skin. Local anesthesia is used in minor procedures like removing a mole.
How Can One Prepare for Anesthesia?
Before the procedure, your anesthetist will meet you and ask you questions concerning your medical history and the medicines you take. Mention whether you have medical conditions like heart disease or lung problems to avoid complications.
Notify your anesthetist of your family medical history. Make them aware if you have conditions like malignant hyperthermia, activated by medications administered in general anesthesia.
Make them aware if you:
- Have a bleeding problem.
- Smoke, take alcohol or drugs.
- Are allergic to anything.
- Are pregnant.
- Have a history of reacting negatively to anesthesia.
- Have weakness or numbness in your legs or arms. Do not be afraid to let your anesthetist know all these details. Anesthesia uses powerful medicine that, when administered to someone with low immunity, can lead to severe consequences. In case you have any concerns, do not hesitate to make your doctors know.
What Happens When One Is Unconscious?
Your anesthetist will give you medicine to remain asleep during the whole surgery. They will also monitor your vitals by checking your blood pressure, breathing, body temperature, and heart rate and oxygen saturation.
How Long Does the Anesthesia Take to Wear Off?
Anesthesia effects take hours to wear off completely. After your surgery, you get taken to a recovery room. Nurses will monitor your vital signs for a while before you wake up. You can wake up confused and tired as the effects of the drug wear off.
Does Anesthesia Have Side Effects?
Patients experience nausea and vomiting as a common side effect. General anesthesia can cause fatigue, confusion, dry mouth, muscle aches, hoarseness, chills, or sleepiness once you regain consciousness.
Regional anesthesia has side effects such as having mild pain, headache, trouble going for a short call, bleeding under the injected skin, and in rare cases, nerve damage.
For more common questions about anesthesia, visit Weston Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at our office in Weston, Florida. You can also call (954) 507-6441 to book an appointment today.
