Anaesthesia refers to a condition whereby sensation is blocked temporarily or taken away. This is usually done during an operation that results into cutting of various areas hence the need to numb the body to ensure that someone does not feel the pain during the process. It is usually induced and leads to loss of muscle reflexes, responsiveness and one is normally in a state of amnesia. There are different types of anesthesia that may be used by doctors with each type suitable for a specific condition and area of the body.

A doctor may consider using local anaesthesia. This type is usually suitable where the patient is undergoing a minor surgery. Usually it can be injected or be applied onto the area where the doctor would want numb. As its name suggest, it is local therefore it numbs only the area that has been injected only unlike others that can numb the whole body.

Another common kind is called regional anaesthesia. When utilizing this type, the anaesthesia is used on a group of nerves. This therefore leads to numbing of a bigger area of the body for instance from the waist downwards. This kind is particularly used to make sure the patient feels safe throughout the surgical treatment and after the operation.

Another type that might be of use to make sure that the individual is totally unconscious throughout the surgical treatment is general anaesthesia. When the doctor administers this anaesthesia, the patient is usually unconscious throughout the operation and when they wake up, they often have no memory of what might have happened. This type of anesthesia could be given to a patient through inhalation of gases by breathing via a mask or placing a needle straight into a vein.

Caudal anaesthesia is another kind that may be used before a surgery. This type is most suitable for specific parts of the body like the hips, buttocks, inner things and the inner areas of the leg. This one is a type of regional anaesthesia therefore it is used to make a cluster of nerves numb in readiness for an operation.

Other commonly used kinds of regional anaesthesia include interscalene block and IV regional anaesthesia. Each one of these kinds is suitable for use on a specific body part. The interscalene block is commonly used by doctors to number the areas around the shoulders and arm during a surgical procedure. The IV regional block on the other hand is used to numb the leg or arm during an operation.

Spinal anaesthesia is another kind that a doctor can use. It is normally used to numb a patient from their abdomen to the feet. This is usually done during procedures like childbirth or the removal of the appendix.

The varied types of anesthesia are appropriate for use by physicians. With respect to the type of surgery you may have, you will be given a particular anaesthesia. You may be given this anaesthesia through breathing in some vapor or it can be injected into a vein. Before any kind of anaesthesia can be used, it is considered essential for the physician to understand if the patient reacts negatively to any kind of anaesthesia. This can prevent cases when people react adversely when injected a specific type of anaesthesia.