Journal of Pain Management & Medicine

An Overview of Anesthesia and its Effects

Nicole Vicente^* Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, Chicago, USA
^*Correspondence: Nicole Vicente, Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, Chicago, USA, Email:

Received: 01-Jan-2023, Manuscript No. JPMME-23-19991; Editor assigned: 03-Jan-2023, Pre QC No. JPMME-23-19991 (PQ); Reviewed: 17-Jan-2023, QC No. JPMME-23-19991; Revised: 24-Jan-2023, Manuscript No. JPMME-23-19991 (R); Published: 03-Feb-2023, DOI: 10.35248/2684-1320.23.9.194

Description

Anesthesia is a treatment that keeps the patient from feeling pain during a procedure or surgery. Drugs used to control pain are called anesthetics. Different types of anesthesia work in different ways. Some anesthetics numb specific parts of the body, while others numb the brain to allow for more invasive surgical procedures such as head, chest, or abdomen to induce sleep.

Anesthesia is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or consciousness induced for medical or veterinary purposes. It may include some or all of analgesia (reduction or prevention of pain), paralysis (relaxation of muscles), amnesia (loss of memory), and loss of consciousness. A person is under the control of an anesthetic drugs is said to be anesthetized.

Types of anesthesia

Local anesthetic: This treatment paralyzes a small part of the body. Examples of procedures in which local anesthesia is used include cataract surgery, dental procedures, and skin biopsies. During surgery patient should be awake.

Regional anesthesia: Regional anesthesia blocks pain in most parts of the body like Limbs or entire lower chest. It may be conscious during surgery and may be sedated in addition to local anesthesia. Examples include epidurals for pain relief during childbirth or Caesarean section (Caesarean section), spine for hip or knee surgery, or arm locks for hand surgery.

General anesthesia: This treatment makes the person unconscious and desensitized to pain and other stimuli. General anesthesia is used for more invasive surgical procedures and operations involving the head, chest, or abdomen.

Sedation: Sedation allows relaxing until the patient have a more natural sleep, or they get easily agitated. Mild sedatives may be prescribed by the practitioner or with a nurse if the regular nurse is trained to provide moderate sedation.

Effects of anesthesia

Most side effects of anesthesia are temporary and go away within 24 hours. Depending on the type of anesthesia and how providers administer, they may experience: ack pain and muscle pain, chills due to hypothermia (hypothermia), difficulty urinating, malaise, headache, itchiness, nausea and vomiting, pain, tenderness, redness, or bruising at the injection site, and sore throat (pharyngitis).

Complications of anesthesia

Each year, millions of Americans safely receive anesthesia while undergoing medical procedures. However, anesthesia carries risks. Possible complications are:

Anesthesia awareness: For unknown reasons, about 1 in 1,000 people who undergo general anesthesia experience consciousness during surgery. They may be aware of their surroundings, but cannot move or communicate.

Phantom pain: Phantom is a pain that appears to originate from a body part that no longer exists. It is common in people who have had a limb amputated, but it is not the same as phantom limb sensation, which is generally painless.

Lung collapse (atelectasis): Surgery using general anesthesia or a breathing tube can cause the lung to collapse. This rare problem occurs when the air sacs in the lungs contract or fills with fluid.

Malignant hyperthermia: People with Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) experience dangerous reactions to anesthesia. This rare hereditary syndrome causes fever and muscle contractions during surgery. To avoid drugs that cause this reaction, it is important to share a personal or family history of MH with the anesthesiologist prior to anesthesia.

Nerve injury: Although it is rare, some people experience nerve damage that causes temporary or permanent neuropathic pain, numbness, or weakness.

Postoperative delirium: Older people are prone to postoperative delirium. This state causes confusion and lasts for about a week. Some people suffer from long-term memory and learning problems. This condition is called postoperative cognitive impairment.