Choose Your Anesthesia Services Provider Carefully

By Catalina Nielsen


Various forms of anesthetics have been around since the ancient empires of the world. They have been used to dull the senses for various surgeries and injuries. Early forms of pain management consisted of opiates and herbal tonics. Today anesthesia services have been refined from their primitive form and honed into a tool that helps save lives.

The Ancient Romans were the first to record the use of drugs in surgeries as a way of killing the pain associated with the medical procedures of the time. Their physicians used potions made from Chinese poppy flowers and mandrake root, along with other herbs of the time. In Greek, the word anesthesia can be translated into the words 'without sensation, ' referring to the effect that anesthetics are meant to have.

Today we use advanced medicines to manage pain, control heart rate and rhythm as well as relax the respiratory and circulatory system in order to have a successful surgical procedure. These methods of management prevent patients from going into an emergency state or into a state of shock while they are on the operating table.

There are aspects that can effect the process of anesthesia. These glitches come in the form of the patient's body and its various ailments. Heart disease, allergies, diabetes, kidney and liver damage can play a negative role in the application of certain drugs. Anesthesiologists need to know these health concerns in order to apply the proper dosage and monitor the patient's functions.

A variety of pain medications exist for a variety of reasons. These drugs will relax patients, block the pain of the procedure and if necessary put them in a temporary state of sleep. The dose of the drugs varies according the weight and health issues. Each dose is carefully calculated for the individual and it is common for patients to sometimes forget aspects of the day of their surgery.

The vast number of anesthetic drugs used are local numbing agents that dull the senses of a small area for minimal surgeries such as dental work and stitches. The medicine is injected with a syringe into the site and numbing lasts for a few hours at the most.

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.

General anesthesia is the most sensitive form out of all the anesthetic groups. It is injected through an IV into a vein and induces sleep and deep unconsciousness for many hours. General numbing medication will lower the heart rate and the breathing rate. Anesthesiologists are especially careful to monitor these cases as any mistake can result in the loss of a patient. Most anesthesia services are contracted from anesthesiology providers. This is a commonality because anesthesiologists are expensive to keep on staff.




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