Anesthesia is a relatively new development in the ancient practice of medicine. It was not until the last century that doctors harnessed inhalants and other chemicals in order to effectively reduce pain. For the most part, anesthetics are used in order to make intrusive procedures more comfortable for patients, but this can be achieved in a number of ways.
General anesthetics render the patient unconscious during surgery. This kind of anesthesia is used sparingly because there are many complications that can arise while the patient is unconscious. Although that have been many developments in this science since the beginning of the twentieth century, it is often preferred to keep people awake during some procedures.
Local and regional anesthetics are used to produce insensitivity to an area of the body so a doctor or surgeon can do work on a patient while they are awake. This kind of anesthesia is extremely commonplace in treatments that are less intrusive than surgery. Though they are used for similar purposes, there are some differences between local and regional anesthesia, and each method is more suited to certain uses than the other.Local Anesthesia
Local anesthetics are used to block feeling from a very specific part of the body in order to allow for surgery, reduce pain, or make recovery more comfortable. They are more common than regional anesthetics because they are used for common treatments and as painkillers. They are especially popular in the field of dentistry, where it is beneficial for the patient to be able to position their mouth and vocalize any problems.
This type of anesthesia is most commonly characterized by the small size of the area it affects. An injection of local anesthesia may only numb the nerves of a few teeth or the skin around a small cut. It is usually administered via a shot. However, since its effects are mostly topical, local anesthetics can be applied using an ointment or spray. The anesthesia will only last a short amount of time.
Once the area is numb, the doctor can begin the procedure, and the patient will feel very little pain. In dentistry, local anesthetic is often injected before light drilling and other minor procedures. Many doctors use it to further numb an area during surgery, collect a biopsy, or while sewing up a wound. It can also be implemented after a surgery or trauma in order to reduce pain in a given area without allowing the drugs to circulate throughout the body. This technique is often much more effective for controlling constant pain.
Most local anesthetics are derived from the coca plant. Procaine (which is also known as Novocain) is just one of the many substances in this category.
Regional Anesthesia
Regional anesthetics are used to block feeling from a larger area of the body. These drugs can be used to keep patients awake during surgery. Epidurals given to mothers during childbirth are an example of regional anesthetic. The anesthetic is injected into the spine and a majority of the feeling in the lower half of the body is blocked. This allows the woman to continue labor with less pain.
This state is preferable to general anesthesia because it does not affect the entire body. For some surgeries, the region of interest, such as a leg, the eye, or the pelvis, can be anesthetized, and the patient can be sedated. This technique reduces effects on the lungs and heart often seen during general anesthesia and circumvents the dangers of rendering the patient unconscious. Cesarean sections can even be performed using regional anesthesia; this allows the mother to witness the birth of her child.
Regional anesthesia is achieved by injecting large doses of local anesthetics or other anesthetics into the spine or other area. The desired effect is obtained by regulating the dosage and point of injection. This kind of anesthesia can also be used to treat chronic pain during recovery from serious trauma.
Working Together
In actuality, there is little that separates local and regional anesthesia than the size of the affected area. Both employ the same substances in order to comfort those that are suffering, but they have slightly different purposes. Local anesthesia is a shorter and more controlled loss of feeling that is essential to small medical procedures most Americans take for granted. Regional anesthetics have made certain surgeries less risky by eliminating the need for general anesthesia.
All anesthetics improve the quality of modern medicine and continue to allow doctors to improve lives; local and regional anesthetics are a big part of their success.
