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Anaesthetics (overview)

4-minute read

What is an anaesthetic?

An anaesthetic is a combination of drugs that causes loss of sensation. The following are the main types:

What are the benefits?

How is a general anaesthetic given?

Most people are sent to sleep by injecting the anaesthetic through a small tube (drip) in a vein. It takes about 30 seconds to work.

For some people it may be more appropriate to go to sleep by breathing an anaesthetic gas through a face mask. This also takes about 30 seconds to work.

How is an epidural or spinal anaesthetic given?

An epidural works by temporarily numbing your nerves to give pain relief. A fine tube (catheter) is inserted in the epidural space, near your spinal cord.

Local anaesthetics and other painkillers are injected down the catheter into the epidural space to numb your nerves.

The technique for a spinal is similar but usually involves only one injection into the bag of fluid that surrounds your spinal cord (the subarachnoid space).

A catheter in the epidural space.

How is a local anaesthetic given?

The simplest form of local anaesthesia is to inject the anaesthetic just around the area where the procedure is going to take place.

For a nerve block, local anaesthetics and other painkillers are injected near the major nerves to the part of your body to be operated on.

What complications can happen?

General anaesthetic

There are a number of possible minor complications (not disabling or life threatening) such as feeling sick, sore throat, shivering, difficulty passing urine and headache.

Epidural or spinal anaesthetic

Local anaesthetic

Summary

There are different forms of anaesthesia that can be used to provide a safe and effective way for you to have a procedure, and to give you pain relief. Most people do not have any problems and are satisfied with their anaesthetic.

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