What you should know about anesthesia

What is anesthesia?

Anesthesia - is to reduce the sensitivity of the body. Usually I use it to the man felt no pain during operations or any medical procedures.

Pain - is the reaction of the brain to the impulses that come from special receptors. If these impulses can not reach the brain, then we do not feel pain. It achieves this and anesthesia.

Local anesthesia "block the way" the pain signals in the nerves level. A total working directly with the brain: do not give him to perceive external stimuli.

What is anesthesia?

Anesthesia and analgesia can be divided and grouped according to the multitude of different options, but the patient is enough to know about the three types of anesthesia:

1. Local. When it cut off a small area of ​​the body, and not completely. For example, block nerves near the patient or the tooth surface wound. Nerve impulses from the blocked section does not reach the brain, and we do not feel pain.
2. Regional. This anesthesia, in which the sensitivity of the deprived part of the body completely. For example, spinal and epidural anesthesia in which a person does not feel what is going on below the waist - just such a type. In this case, the patient is often put to sleep, so it was not psychologically difficult to be on his own operation.
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3. General. When her man "switch off" completely. Only this kind of anesthesia called anesthesia.

What is sedation?

Sedation - is the use of medications to calm and relax the patientConscious sedation for surgical procedures. It can be used in conjunction with anesthesia. For example, together with the local in dentistry (if someone is afraid of dentists) or with epidural or spinal (this is the dream that eliminates psychological discomfort). At the same time, depending on the situation, the patient may remain conscious.

What anesthesia is better?

The one you pick up doctorBefore Anesthesia. Anesthesiologists and take into account the nature of the operation and condition of the patient, and its co-morbidities. Based on this, choose what kind of drug and how it will be administered anesthesia. We can not say that one way or the other drug is clearly better.

This is dangerous?

Anesthesia - a complicated and lengthy process that often begins long before the operation (if it is not an emergency, of course). To this carefully prepared, and the patient's condition is monitored by the instrument. The impact of anesthesia on cognitive function and the thinking of exploring more and try to minimize itDo sedation and analgesia contribute to long-term cognitive dysfunction in critical care survivors.

Now the serious consequences are rare, and most often they are associated with the type of operation, rather than with anesthesiaGeneral anesthesia. To reduce the risks, it is necessary to follow the doctor's recommendations.

What are the complications of anesthesia?

Any serious interference in the body can cause side effects, anesthesia is no exception. The most commonEffects of Anesthesia unpleasant effects from anesthesia are:

1. Nausea and vomiting. Appear in the first few days after surgery, they need to inform your doctor.
2. Sore throat. The consequence of the introduction of the inhalation conduit. It runs by itself, but a warm drink helps to cope with the discomfort.
3. Confusion. Consequence of the action of drugs, held for several hours. In rare cases, this condition lasts for several days, and in patients with Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's can decrease cognitive function.
4. Muscle pain. Before the surgery, patients are given medicines that relax muscles. It is necessary to apply the ventilation of the lungs, but after the operation action of drugs recalls his pain.
5. Itching. It appears after some types of narcotic painkillers.
6. Chills. Perhaps this is due to the fact that in the operating room is usually cold.

After epidural or spinal anesthesia may have a headache or back at the injection site, there may be difficulties with urination.

With local anesthesia, side effects are rare but allergic reactions to drugs.

What should tell the doctor before the surgery?

Goal number one - honestly and completely answer the questions of an anesthesiologist. patient answers to influence the choice of anesthesia, so the doctor should tellAnesthesia - what to ask your doctor about:

1. Medicines that you take. That drink constantly, and that took recently. Remember even need about vitamins and supplements.
2. Allergy, even if it is a reaction to pollen, food or latex, not the medication.
3. Health problems. For example, high or low pressure, Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, ulcers, asthma, or renal disease. In general, it is necessary to talk about everything.
4. Pregnancy. Even if you think that the stomach is visible to all. And even more so if it is not visible or you only suspect pregnancy.
5. Transaction history. If you already once were anesthetized, tell us how you moved it, especially if there were problems.

What you need to do before the surgery?

Comply with doctor's recommendation. If you do not eat for 8 hours before surgery, then there can not be anything, even a nibble sunflower seeds. If prohibited to drink, even a glass of water should be coordinated with the anesthesiologist.

Ask someone from relatives, friends or even neighbors in the ward to be with you and to follow, that you are properly understood and recorded all of the recommendations: before surgery because of the excitement you something miss.

At the time of stop smoking. If you do not pick up a cigarette for 12 hours prior to surgery, the risk of complications after anesthesia significantly reduced.

What to do after the surgery?

As the anesthetic drugs may some more time to influence the condition of the patient, the best thing you can do - to let the body recover. It means to follow the recommendations - the ones that are written in advance.

Even if the intervention was not significant, anesthesia - local and sedation - light, do not drive during the day and does not make important decisions, do not sign financial papers and so on.

Can I wake up on the operating table?

Sometimes, the patient returns to consciousness and is able to hear what is going on in the operating room. This happens very rarely, even during operations with regional anesthesia. In addition, the pain is not felt.

I have a bad heart. I can be anesthetized?

Operations were carried out on a sick heart. Indeed, the risks of any complications from anesthesia aboveWhat Is General Anesthesia?If the patient has a disease of the cardiovascular system, but it is necessary and the anesthetist, who will choose pain relief, appropriate patient.

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