anesthesia

/ˈænəsˌθiʒə/

/ænɪsˈθiziə/

Other forms: anesthesias

Anesthesia is a loss of sensation in a body part — or your entire body — caused by the administration of medication. If you're undergoing surgery, you'll need anesthesia to ensure you don't feel any pain during the procedure.

Anesthesia, pronounced "an-es-THEE-zhuh," comes from the Greek word anaisthetos, meaning "without sensation." There are two kinds of anesthesia: local anesthesia numbs just part of your body, like when a dentist numbs your mouth before filling a cavity. General anesthesia makes you unaware and free of all sensation, like when you are having your spleen removed. The medication that causes the lack of sensation is called an anesthetic and the person who administers an anesthetic is an anesthesiologist.

Definitions of anesthesia

1. noun

   loss of bodily sensation with or without loss of consciousness
   synonyms: anaesthesia

   types:

   cryoanaesthesia, cryoanesthesia

   insensibility resulting from cold

   general anaesthesia, general anesthesia

   a state of total unconsciousness resulting from anesthetic drugs (as for a major surgical operation)

   local anaesthesia, local anesthesia

   loss of sensation in a small area of the body (as when a local anesthetic is injected for a tooth extraction)

   block anaesthesia, block anesthesia, conduction anaesthesia, conduction anesthesia, nerve block anaesthesia, nerve block anesthesia

   anesthesia of an area supplied by a nerve; produced by an anesthetic agent applied to the nerve

   regional anaesthesia, regional anesthesia

   loss of sensation in a region of the body produced by application of an anesthetic agent to all the nerves supplying that region (as when an epidural anesthetic is administered to the pelvic region during childbirth)

   topical anaesthesia, topical anesthesia

   loss of sensation confined to the skin or mucous surfaces (as when benzocaine or Lidocaine is applied to the surface)

   acroanaesthesia, acroanesthesia

   loss of sensation in the extremities

   caudal anaesthesia, caudal anesthesia, caudal block

   regional anesthesia resulting from injection of an anesthetic into the caudal end of the spinal canal; now largely replaced by epidural anesthesia

   epidural, epidural anaesthesia, epidural anesthesia

   regional anesthesia resulting from injection of an anesthetic into the epidural space of the spinal cord; sensation is lost in the abdominal and genital and pelvic areas; used in childbirth and gynecological surgery

   paracervical block

   regional anesthesia resulting from the injection of a local anesthetic on each side of the cervix; used during labor and childbirth

   pudendal block

   regional anesthesia resulting from the use of a local anesthetic to deaden the pudendal nerves in the region of the vulva and labia majora; used to ease discomfort during childbirth

   spinal, spinal anaesthesia, spinal anesthesia

   anesthesia of the lower half of the body; caused by injury to the spinal cord or by injecting an anesthetic beneath the arachnoid membrane that surrounds the spinal cord

   inhalation anesthesia

   general anesthesia achieved by administration of an inhalation anesthetic

   twilight sleep

   a state of general anesthesia in which the person retains a slight degree of consciousness; can be induced by injection of scopolamine or morphine

   type of:

   physical condition, physiological condition, physiological state

   the condition or state of the body or bodily functions
2. noun

   a drug that causes temporary loss of bodily sensations
   synonyms: anaesthetic, anaesthetic agent, anesthetic, anesthetic agent

   types:

   general anaesthetic, general anesthetic

   an anesthetic that anesthetizes the entire body and causes loss of consciousness

   intravenous anesthetic

   an anesthetic that produces anesthesia when injected into the circulatory system

   local, local anaesthetic, local anesthetic, topical anaesthetic, topical anesthetic

   anesthetic that numbs a particular area of the body

   spinal anaesthetic, spinal anesthetic

   an anesthetic that is injected into the spine

   anesthyl

   a mixture of methyl and ethyl chloride; sprayed on as a local anesthetic

   antipruritic

   a substance that relieves or prevents itching

   benzocaine, ethyl aminobenzoate

   a white crystalline ester used as a local anesthetic

   butacaine, butacaine sulfate

   a white crystalline ester that is applied to mucous membranes as a local anesthetic

   dibucaine

   a local anesthetic that is administered by injection

   ethyl chloride

   a colorless flammable gas used as a local surface anesthetic

   inhalation anaesthetic, inhalation anesthetic, inhalation general anaesthetic, inhalation general anesthetic

   a gas that produces general anesthesia when inhaled

   Ketalar, ketamine, ketamine hydrochloride

   a general anesthetic and tranquilizer (not a barbiturate) that is administered intravenously or intramuscularly; used mainly by veterinarians or for minor surgery with geriatric or pediatric patients; taken in large doses it causes hallucinations similar to those associated with the use of PCP

   Lidocaine, Xylocaine

   a local anesthetic (trade names Lidocaine and Xylocaine) used topically on the skin and mucous membranes

   Metycaine, piperocaine, piperocaine hydrochloride

   a compound used in the form of its hydrochloride as a local or spinal anesthetic

   Ethocaine, procaine

   a white crystalline powder (trade name Ethocaine) administered near nerves as a local anesthetic in dentistry and medicine

   tetracaine

   a crystalline compound used in the form of a hydrochloride as a local anesthetic

   tribromoethanol, tribromoethyl alcohol

   an intravenous anesthetic

   truth drug, truth serum

   an intravenous anesthetic drug that has a hypnotic effect; induces relaxation and weakens inhibitions; is believed to induce people to talk freely

   type of:

   drug

   a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic