Regional anesthesia - what does it feel like, and are you fully aware?

Numb: Most people put local at the site of the block they are placing, so the skin in that area is numb. You may still feel a little pressure or discomfort. If you let the anesthesiologist know they can give you more local anesthesia. Most patients tolerate these procedures very well, a little sedation can be used if you are very nervous. Once the regional is down, the area can feel numb, heavy, .

Numb and sleepy: Most people are nervous during a procedure so you are often given a sedative to make you relax and feel drowsy. The regional anesthetic is an injection into the nerves covering the area of surgery. There is some discomfort during the injection but then there is no feeling in the area of the operation. The sedative is usually timed to wear off near the end of surgery.

Easy: If it is labor epidural patient is fully aware, because there are no sedation. For most regional blocks mild sedation is used and patients do not usually remember the regional block. Vocalizing your preferences to the anesthesiologist is very important. After the block patient usually can not control or completely feel the blocked site. If it is for post op pain the numbness can be 24 hours.

Numbness: Regional anesthesia on its own procedures numbness in the affected area, but you are wide awake. Most of us supplement the regional anesthetic with some sedative agents so the patient will sleep during surgery.

Depends: With regional anesthesia (spinal, epidural, block) the area to operated upon is anesthetized while you are awake. Sedatives are also given by IV to make the patient drowsy and less likely to recall much.

Light touch: Sometimes cannot be blocked by some regional esp. An epidural but pain should be blocked, different sensations use different nerve types. Additionally you will probably be sedated unless you are pregnent.