Types of Anesthesia

Anesthesia (the absence of sensation) is a substance used by doctors to provide pain relief to patients during medical procedures. There are several types of anesthesia, including:

General – This is the most common form used in surgical procedures. It places the patient in a pain-free, sleeping state during the surgery. There are several methods used to administer general anesthesia; the two most common are injection and inhalation.

Regional – This can be used when the patient is awake. It blocks signals that are sent from a body part to the brain, which prevents the patient from feeling pain. Regional administration is administered through injection; examples include a spinal, epidural and Beir block.

Local – This type of anesthesia can also be used when the patient is awake. Medicine is injected into the body part that needs to be numbed.

If you have any questions about the type of anesthesia you’ll receive – and if there are any options – feel free to ask your Liberty anesthesiologist.