Anesthetics

Anesthetics: what are they and how do they work?

Anesthetics are medications that are used to eliminate pain and create conditions for medical procedures without pain. They can be used both in general anesthesia for major operations and in local anesthesia for minimally invasive procedures.

The Greek word "anaisthesia" means "insensitivity", which reflects the essence of the action of anesthetics - blocking the nerve impulses responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain. This allows the patient not to feel pain during the medical procedure.

There are several types of anesthetics that can be used in different cases. General anesthesia is a condition in which the patient is in deep sleep and does not feel any pain. To achieve this state, inhalational anesthetics are used, which are administered through a mask or tube into the patient's respiratory system.

Local anesthesia is used to block pain in a specific area of ​​the body. For this purpose, local anesthetics are used, which are injected into the patient’s tissues near the procedure site. Such anesthetics block the transmission of pain signals in nerve fibers, which allows the procedure to be performed without pain.

Among the most common local anesthetics are lidocaine, bupivacaine, articaine and others. Each of these drugs has its own characteristics and can be used depending on the characteristics of the patient and the procedure being performed.

It should be noted that anesthetics have their side effects and can cause various complications. Therefore, before using them, it is necessary to conduct a thorough assessment of the patient's condition and the risks associated with the procedure.

In general, anesthetics are an important component of modern medicine and allow many procedures to be performed without pain. However, their use should be done with caution and only under the supervision of qualified medical professionals.