What is Anesthesia?
Anesthesia is the act of making a person feel no pain during a medical or surgical procedure. The purpose of giving the doctor medication is to eliminate pain.
There are anesthetics that can numb certain parts of the body, and there are also those that can temporarily numb the brain during a surgical procedure.
Anesthesia works by blocking sensory signals from nerves at the site of the procedure to the central part of the brain. Different types of anesthesia work in different ways, from numbing you to putting you to sleep.
Purpose and Benefits of Anesthesia
The benefit of anesthesia is to block sensory or pain signals from nerves to the center in the brain. This action is necessary for you to do in minor procedures, such as filling teeth, and also childbirth or other procedures. The doctor will also give anesthesia before minor and major operations.
The anesthesiologist, together with your doctor, will determine the best anesthesia depending on the type of surgery you are having, your health status, and your personal preferences. For certain procedures, a person’s doctor may recommend general anesthesia.
There are several procedures that may require this action, such as:
- Medical procedures that take a long time.
- Capable of causing significant blood loss.
- Exposed to cold environments.
- Affecting the respiratory system, such as chest or upper abdominal surgery.
Who Performs Anesthesia Procedures?
This procedure will be performed by an anesthesiologist . An anesthesiologist is a doctor who specializes in providing this procedure to patients. This is useful for controlling pain or falling asleep during certain medical procedures.
Not only giving medicine, the anesthesiologist will also monitor the development of a person’s health condition while under anesthesia. Both during and after medical procedures.
What are the Types of Anesthesia?
There are several categories of anesthesia that doctors commonly use during surgery and other medical procedures. An anesthesiologist will discuss which type is safe and appropriate for the surgery or procedure your patient requires.
Among the types of anesthesia are:
1. General anesthesia
General anesthesia will make you unconscious during the procedure. This means you will not feel anything. Also, you will not remember what happened while under anesthesia.
This type of anesthesia is needed by doctors for a variety of major surgeries. Including most operations on the heart, lungs, abdomen, brain, or major arteries.
The doctor will inject drugs into the blood vessels, or the doctor will give the patient a gas containing an anesthetic to breathe. These drugs can stop the brain from responding to sensory messages traveling from nerves in the body.
The unconscious effects of anesthesia are different from natural sleep. You can’t wake up from anesthesia until the drugs are stopped and the effects wear off.
While you are unconscious, the medical team will take care of you very carefully. An anesthesiologist will always be near the patient.
2. Local anesthesia
The use of local anesthetics can numb a small part of the body that must undergo surgery. This type of anesthesia is used when the nerves can be easily reached with drops, sprays, ointments, or injections.
After the doctor gives the anesthetic, the patient remains free from pain. Examples of operations that use local anesthesia are tooth extraction and some general eye operations.
3. Regional anesthesia
This type of anesthesia involves the doctor injecting near nerves that supply larger or deeper areas of the body. The area of the body receiving the anesthetic will then become numb.
4. Spinal and epidural anesthesia
Spinal and epidural are the most common types of regional anesthesia. These injections can be used by doctors for lower body surgeries, such as cesarean sections, bladder surgery or hip replacements. During these procedures, your doctor will be awake but free from pain.
5. Other types of regional anesthesia
Another type of regional anesthesia involves an injection placed near a nerve or group of nerves, such as in the arm or leg. This is often called a “nerve block” and allows you to have surgery without general anesthesia.
Nerve blocks are also useful for pain relief after surgery, as the area will be numb for several hours.
6. Sedation
A type of sedation is an anesthetic that doctors use in small amounts to produce a sleep-like state. There are different levels of sedation. Generally, sedation will make you feel sleepy and relaxed and less aware of what is happening.
You may be asleep for some time, but the medical team will still be able to talk to you. You may also know where you are for some procedures. You may also remember all, some, or nothing after sedation.
Anesthesia Procedure
The anesthesia procedure will be performed by an anesthesiologist. Usually, an anesthesiologist can administer anesthesia intravenously in the arm. Or, it can also be done through gas inhaled from a mask, especially in children to make it easier to do. Here are the anesthesia procedures you need to know:
1. Before the anesthesia procedure
Before the anesthesia procedure, make sure the doctor has a list of medications and supplements that you are currently or have recently taken. Because, some drugs can interact with anesthesia, or cause bleeding and increase the risk of complications.
In addition, you also have to:
- Avoid food and drink for eight hours before going to the hospital, unless directed otherwise.
- Quit smoking, even if only one day before the procedure. This will improve your heart and lung health. The best effects are seen with a two-week smoking cessation.
- Stop taking herbal supplements for one to two weeks before the procedure.
- Do not take any medication for erectile dysfunction for at least 24 hours before the procedure.
- Taking certain blood pressure medications with a sip of water, as directed by your doctor.
2. During the anesthesia procedure
Anesthesiologists do the following:
- Administering one or a combination of the types of anesthesia listed above, pain therapy, and possibly including anti-nausea medications.
- Monitor vital signs, including blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, pulse, and heart rate.
- Identify and manage problems, such as allergic reactions or changes in vital signs.
- Providing post-operative pain management.
3. After the anesthesia procedure
After an anesthesia procedure that uses local anesthesia, you can go about your normal activities as usual, or follow whatever your doctor suggests. You may need more time to recover, if you received regional or general anesthesia or sedation.
Therefore, you must:
- Ask family or relatives to take you home.
- Get enough rest.
- Do not drive or operate any equipment for 24 hours.
- Avoid drinking alcohol for 24 hours.
- Avoid making important or legal decisions for 24 hours.
Side Effects of Anesthesia
Most side effects of anesthesia from various types of anesthesia are temporary and will disappear within 24 hours, or sooner. Depending on the type of anesthesia and how the doctor gave it.
The following side effects may occur, such as:
1. General anesthesia
Side effects that can occur due to general anesthesia, namely:
- Confusion to temporary memory loss.
- Dizzy.
- Difficulty urinating.
- Bruising at the site of infusion or injection.
- Nauseous.
- Vomit.
- Freezing.
- Sore throat.
2. Local anesthesia
Side effects of local anesthesia can include:
- Discomfort and pain in the area where the injection was given.
- Tingling sensation.
- Bruises.
3. Regional anesthesia
Side effects of regional anesthesia include:
- Dizzy.
- Numbness in the mouth area.
- Nasal congestion.
- Drooping of the eyelids.
- Cough.
- Chest pain.
- Bruises.
- Bleeding at the injection or infusion site.
However, generally the side effects you will feel are temporary. If the side effects occur for a long time and do not improve, immediately check your health with a doctor to ensure the condition.
When to Perform Anesthesia?
This action can be done before someone gets medical treatment, whether it is minor or major. A doctor with an anesthesiologist will determine the anesthesia needed depending on the type of surgery and the person’s health level.
Places to Perform Anesthesia
This action certainly needs to be done in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor and expert. It is necessary to determine the right anesthetic so that someone does not wake up in the middle of surgery or get an excessive dose.
Anesthesia Costs
The cost of this procedure varies depending on the type and procedure you will undergo. The cost difference factor can also depend on the place and health facility you choose.
The specific cost or the range cannot be ascertained. Because, usually the cost is already included in the medical action that you will undergo.