When most people think of anesthesia, the first thing that comes to mind is general anesthesia. However, there are three main categories of anesthesia, and each has a place and role in providing the best care for you:
General – The patient is rendered unconscious and has no awareness or perception of sensation throughout the procedure.
Regional – Your Anesthesiologist will inject numbing medicine to block the pain from nerves in a certain part of the body. You may remain awake, or you may be given a sedative to keep you relaxed during the operation. There are several kinds of regional anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia and epidural anesthesia are both considered regional anesthesia.
Local – A local anesthetic drug is injected directly into tissue to numb a smaller, specific area of the body. This can be used for some types of minor surgery.
Many patients may receive a sedative prior to or during a procedure to help calm them during an otherwise stressful or anxiety filled time.