General anaesthetic
Introduction
General anaesthesia is a state of controlled unconsciousness. During a general anaesthetic, medications are used to send you to sleep, so you're unaware of surgery and don't move or feel pain while it's carried out.
General anaesthesia is essential for some surgical procedures where it may be safer or more comfortable for you to be unconscious. It's usually used for long operations or those thatwould otherwisebe very painful.
It's not clear exactly how it works, butit's known that all anaesthetics interrupt the passage of signals along the nerves. This means that any stimulation to the body doesn't get processed or recognised by the brain.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 30 Nov 2016
Introduction
General anaesthesia is a state of controlled unconsciousness. During a general anaesthetic, medications are used to send you to sleep, so you're unaware of surgery.
How general anaesthetics are given
Before havingan operation, you'll meet a specialist doctor called an anaesthetist to discuss which anaesthetic is most suitable for you. Your anaesthetist will look at your medical history and will a
Side effects
General anaesthetics havesome common side effects.Your anaesthetist should discuss these with you before your surgery. Most side effects occur immediately after your operation and don't last long. Po
Complications and risks
A number of more serious complications are associated with general anaesthetics. Theseare rare, occurring in less than 1 in every 10,000 cases. Possible serious complications and risksinclude: a s
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