Is anesthesia dangerous? It’s already a question that anyone about to have surgery worries about.
Anesthesia comes in three main types. Local anesthesia, the mildest form, merely numbs a very small area, such as a single tooth. Regional anesthesia desensitizes a large section of someone’s body by injecting drugs into the spine that block nerve signals to the brain. Often a patient getting regional anesthesia also takes a relatively small dose of a powerful sedative drug, such as propofol—not enough to put them under but enough to alter brain activity in a way that makes the person less aware and responsive.
It is very common for it to take a 1-2 days to feel normal and coherent after anesthesia has been administered. But now, experts aren’t sure if this is caused by the surgery, or the anesthesia. A new study performed on mice showed that general anesthesia may negatively affect the brain cells that are responsible for memory and learning.
How To Prevent Anesthesia Side Effects:
- See If Family Members Have Had Reactions to Anesthesia. Although very rare, some people are genetically susceptible to have dangerous reactions to anesthesia, such as a severe spike in blood pressure. So, it’s always worth asking your family to make sure. If someone in your family has had such a reaction, tell your doctor.
- Ask Your Doctor About Alternatives. Who knows, there can be alternatives that your doctor can use. And those alternatives may not have been brought up for a number of reasons: 1) More time consuming, not a popular, or simply because no one…