Choosing Anesthesia Services Requires Research

By Catalina Nielsen


Anesthetics have been used since ancient times and ancient civilizations. Drugs are used to quiet pain receptors and ease surgeries or the pain of injuries. The earliest documented forms of anesthesia were those of opium and mandrake, among other herbs. Modern anesthesia services have been cultivated to accuracy as a tool to assist in surgeries.

The earliest accounts of pain killing methods in human history go back to the Roman Empire. Nearly two million years ago physicians were in the practice of using opium from the Chinese poppy flower along with other herbs to help ease the discomfort of certain ailments and surgical procedures. The word anesthesia is of Greek origin, meaning without sensation. It refers to the dulling of sensory receptors.

Today we control pain through medicines we call anesthetics. These drugs can assist in regulating the body's functions as well as lessen pain. Anesthesia is employed in surgery to temporarily place patients into unconsciousness and help regulate their breathing, heart rate, and blood flow. Without these measures most patients would go into shock or other emergency states during intrusive medical procedures.

Health is a serious concern where anesthetics are concerned. Such things as heart disease, kidney or liver damage and diabetes can effect the use of the numbing drugs. Persons with low weight or health problems are given smaller doses and monitored carefully for any signs of change in their vitals. It is important to be honest about your medical history and any allergies before allowing yourself to undergo a surgery that requires pain killers.

Anesthetics come in a few different forms and are used to relax patients while simultaneously blocking their pain and keeping them unconscious during deep surgeries. Every individual requires consideration to their age, weight, and health in order to calculate the proper dosage for a certain amount of time. Patients have often reported forgetting parts of their day after they've had anesthesia.

Knowing a little about the different types of anesthetics will be beneficial in the long run. First, the most commonly known form is the local injection. An injection is placed locally in the site that is to be worked on. Normally this is used for dental work and applying stitches.

Regional anesthetic has two subgroups under it. Regional anesthetics are applied for a larger portion of the body and often make patients sleepy. Under the regional heading are the peripheral and epidural applications. Peripheral numbing occurs when the nerves of a certain area are dulled or work. Epidurals have become quite popular with pregnant, birthing mothers as it is a shot that enters the spine in order to numb the stomach and hip area.

The last and most serious is general anesthesia. It is fed to the body intravenously and can be quite dangerous. General numbing induces sleep and lowered heart rate. Anesthesiologists who are not watchful or careful can lose patients during a procedure. Most anesthesia services are contracted from outside the hospital, surgeon, or doctor's practice. Independent anesthetic groups specialize in the field and are liable to mistakes. It is important to do research and disclose health information to these individuals in order to receive the best care.




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