June 11, 2014 •
Anesthesia induces a deep state of unconsciousness in a matter of seconds, but it can take several hours to return to normal after waking. Many people experience confusion, sleepiness, and even delirium.
Consciousness is the awareness of subjective states such as emotion, inner thoughts, ideas, intentions, and mental states. Without consciousness, an organism has no awareness, while consciousness is often explained as the awareness of emotion, the ability to think and to remember past events and anticipate current ones.
General anesthesia affects your entire body. Other types of anesthesia affect specific regions. Most people are awake during operations with local or regional anesthesia. General anesthesia dampens stimulation, knocks you unconscious and keeps you from moving during the operation.
General anesthesia has 3 main stages: going under (induction), staying under (maintenance) and recovery (emergence). A specially trained anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist gives you the proper doses and continuously monitors your vital signs—such as heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure and breathing.
The first is an inability to remember things, but can’t recall them after waking up. Next, patients lose the ability to respond. Finally they go into deep sedation. General anesthesia looks more like a coma—a reversible coma. You lose awareness and the ability to feel pain, form memories and move.
Once you’ve become unconscious, the anesthesiologist uses monitors and medications to keep you that way.
Lack of Consciousness. Keeps you from being aware of your surroundings.
Analgesia. Blocks your ability to feel pain.
Amnesia. Prevents formation of memories.
Loss of Movement. Relaxes your muscles and keeps you still during surgery.
Stable Body Functions.