Navigating Anesthesia: What You Need to Know Before Your Procedure

There is no doubt that undergoing any operation can be very stressful. If you are scheduled to have surgery, you may have many questions and concerns about anesthesia. Learning about anesthesia can reduce your worries.

Some medicines are used to reduce the pain caused by any surgery or any other painful medical procedure (such as getting stitches), this is called anesthesia. Anesthesia can be given as a gas or vapor by injection or by mouth. Different types of anesthesia affect your nervous system in many ways and stop pain by interrupting your nerve impulses.

Today, well-trained professionals use a variety of safe and modern medications and highly efficient monitoring techniques in hospitals and surgical centers. Anesthesiologists are doctors who specialize in the administration and administration of anesthetics.

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Apart from giving anesthesia, anesthesiologist does the following to prepare you for surgery -

• Monitor your vital body functions such as breathing, heart rate and rhythm, body temperature, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels during surgery.
• If any problem arises during surgery, pay attention to it.
• Managing any kind of pain after surgery.
• Keeping you as comfortable as possible before, during and after surgery.
• Specially trained and registered nurse anesthetists along with anesthesiologists help them in this work. They may work under the supervision of nurses, anesthesiologists, or sometimes even alone, depending on the hospital.

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Along with local and general anesthetic, there are many other types of anesthesia which are as follows

• Regional anesthetic – This is a local anesthetic that is given to prevent numbness and pain in an area of your body that requires deeper numbness.
• Epidural anesthetic – This is also a type of regional anesthetic which is often used to numb the lower half of the body. For example, as a pain reliever during labor and childbirth. 

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• Spinal anesthetic – This is also a type of regional anesthetic. It is given to provide complete numbness in the lower part of the body such as the base of your spine or your lower back so that surgery can be performed on this area. Its effect lasts for about 3 hours.
• Sedation – medicines that make you sleep and relax physically and mentally. These are sometimes given to keep you calm during minor, painful, and unpleasant surgeries. 

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Different types of anesthesia may also be used in combination. For example, regional anesthetic may be mixed with general anesthetic to provide pain relief after an operation. Sedation may sometimes be given with a regional anesthetic to keep you pain-free, calm and comfortable during the operation.

Before you are given anesthesia, your anesthesiologist will talk to you and may ask you some questions, such as your health history, any prescription or over-the-counter medications you take, any allergies you have, and your history of anesthesia. About experience etc. This helps your anesthesiologist choose the safest medicines for you.

The anesthesiologist usually administers the anesthesia through a needle into a vein in your arm. Sometimes it can also be given as a gas by inhalation. Children may prefer to receive anesthesia through a mask.

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Once you are unconscious, the anesthesiologist inserts a tube through your mouth into your windpipe. This tube ensures that your body continues to get enough oxygen. This tube protects your lungs from blood and other fluids, such as stomach fluid. The doctor gives you muscle relaxants before inserting the tube into your windpipe.

Your doctor may also use other measures to manage your breathing during surgery, such as a mask to keep the airway open. Someone from the anesthesia care team will be watching you all the time while you are sleeping. They manage your medications, breathing, temperature, fluids and blood pressure whenever needed.

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Any complications that arise during surgery are treated with increased medications, fluids, and sometimes blood transfusions. Blood transfusions sometimes become necessary during complex surgeries. The anesthesia care team monitors your condition and administers blood transfusions when necessary. Blood transfusion can also be risky. This risk is higher in older people, those who have low levels of red blood cells in their blood, or those who have undergone complex heart surgery.

When the surgery is complete the anesthesia is stopped and you gradually regain consciousness. You may feel a little confused or intoxicated after regaining consciousness.

Anesthetic is a combination of several medicines which may cause side effects in some people. Your anesthetist will tell you what side effects may occur from the anesthetic and what to do to reduce these side effects. Following are some common side effects that may occur after giving general anesthetic or regional anesthetic -

• Feel Like Vomiting Or Feel Nauseous
• Feeling Dizzy And Faint
• Feeling Cold Or Shivering
• Headache
• Itching
• Bruising And Pain Under The Skin
• Difficulty Urinating 
• Persistent Aches And Pains

Side effects of anesthetics usually do not last long and some can be treated if necessary. Tell your doctor if you experience any of the side effects listed above or have pain after treatment. In the last few years, giving anesthesia has become much safer. Due to advanced equipment, medicines and good training, the possibility of any serious problem has become very less. Still, with any surgery or medical procedure there is a possibility of some type of complication. Therefore, discuss with your doctor about its effects so that you face minimal problems and can keep yourself mentally prepared.

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"Anesthesia" is a medical practice adopted in modern surgical procedures, which provides pain relief, unconsciousness and muscle relaxation to patients during operations. There are many types of anesthesia. General anesthesia produces a state of controlled unconsciousness, regional anesthesia numbs specific areas of the body, and local anesthesia targets local areas. Despite its widespread use, anesthesia carries risks and should only be performed under the supervision of a doctor.