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Doctor insights on: How Is General Anesthesia Different From Local Anesthesia

Different medication: The word "anesthesia" can be confusing. It applies to many different drugs that prevent responses to pain. Drugs like Lidocaine and novocaine are injected with a needle to numb an area: this is "local" anesthesia. Other drugs that are given through an iv--such as Propofol or sodium pentothal--and anesthesia gases that you breathe produce general anesthesia and complete unconsciousness. ...Read more

Anesthesia: Local anesthesia blocks transmission of local nerves and nerve endings with local anesthetics applied locally. General anesthesia is systemic, introduced intravenously or by inhalation. ...Read more

See below: Probably the general anesthetic would be more expensive, but it depends on where it is done. In an operating room you would also be paying the hospital charges for the or, as well as the nurses. The cost of the actual anesthetic would be on top of this. ...Read more

Effects and depth: Twilight anesthesia is the application of sedatives to help the patient. One of the concerns is that there will be too much anesthesia given and the patient will not be able to breathe. This is for smaller operations. General anesthesia puts the entire body to sleep, and lets the anesthesiologist take over so that a surgeon is able to perform their operation. ...Read more

1 vs many drugs: Versed sedation is used when there is a procedure with minimal surgery or when local is used a lot. There is a relative high incidence (compared with general) of patients remembering parts of the procedure. ...Read more

Anesthesia for teeth: Local anesthesia involves injection of local anesthetic drugs in your mouth to make the jaw numb so the wisdom teeth can be painlessly removed. General anesthesia, on the other hand, involves the injection of general anesthetic drugs or sedative through an I.V. It's very common in an oral surgeon's office for you to have both I.V. Anesthesia and local anesthesia. This is the most comfortable way. ...Read more

For what procedure?: In general, less is better. So, if it can be done with local comfortably, that's good. In some cases local is not sufficient, and suffering to avoid general anesthesia is not better. ...Read more

Many many ways: Local can be given by nasal spray, skin cream, needle injection. Eyedrops, gargling, nerve block can numb all parts of the body including muscle, bone, tongue. ...Read more

Consciousness: The difference is level of consciousness. A patient under sedation should be able to respond to verbal or tactile stimuli. A patient under general anesthesia has complete loss of consciousness--he/she should have complete amnesia, be immobile, have no response to external stimuli, and have analgesia or absence of response to painful stimuli. ...Read more

Local anesthesia: It is administered via injection, utilizing a needle. ...Read more

Very low risk: In an otherwise healthy patient, general anesthesia is very safe. But just like anything, it is not without risk. Minor risks include nausea and sore throat, which are a relatively common nuisance. Major risks such as heart attack and death are extremely rare. Some very rare anesthetic reactions, such as malignant hyperthermia, tend to run in families, so discuss this with your anesthesiologist. ...Read more

Depends: Local anesthetic is always the safest. However, for healthy people, anesthesia procedures in an oral surgeon's office is statistically very safe. Most surgeons use a deep sedation or general anesthetic technique. In my office, general anesthesia is preferred because i can use medications that are short acting and make you feel good and alert instead of nauseated and sleepy afterwards. ...Read more

Yes: Most oral surgeons i know do use IV sedation instead of general anesthesia for impacted wisdom teeth. Which is the best way to go depends on how many teeth they are removing, how difficult they expect the procedure to be, and your personal preference. Speak to your oral surgeon about which option is best for you. ...Read more

Anesthesia: While i suggest talking with your surgeon about anesthetic options i very much doubt someone would remove bone from your face under local anesthesia. Anesthesia has risks yet you cannot have certain things done to you awake. Best of luck! ...Read more

Possibly: Anxiolysis is a continuum fm light sedation to general anesthesia. Depending on the technique sedation ranges fm light to moderate to deep to general anesthesia. Some people do very well with light sedation others are more difficult actually having a harder time trying to cooperate thereby requiring more sedation. As sedation requirements increase the likely hood of general anesthesia is greater. ...Read more

Very Different: Local anesthesia involves injection of numbing medication into an area requiring surgery. As the name implies, it is only effective in this local area. Iv sedation describes the intravenous administration of medication to relax and sedate a surgical patient. These two techniques are complementary to one another and often used together. ...Read more

Please clarify: These are too broad of topics to be answered in 400 characters. Can you narrow your focus or rephrase your question? ...Read more

Yes, but: I suspect you would prefer some sedation as well. I don't think a general anesthetic would be required. Talk to you physician. ...Read more

What normally called: " to put you to sleep" before surgical procedure , is not feel pain , and will not be aware the procedure being done , by anesthetic medications , your breathing is controlled , all your vital functions are closely monitored by highly trained professional(s), relatively very safe considering the magnitude of the undertaking on human body. ...Read more

Essentially none.: Maybe one done for small fibroids in the uterine cavity, but all others require general anesthesia. ...Read more