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Anesthesia Effects: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the side effects of anesthesia?

Although we are constantly improving our techniques, certain side effects from anesthesia and surgery are common, such as sore throat, dizziness, grogginess, muscle pain and nausea/vomiting. These problems generally respond to treatment or resolve with time. Please let us know if you had these problems or any other problems in the past , as that can help us plan a better anesthetic experience. Pain relief after you leave the recovery area is under the control of your surgeon. ...
Side effects after anesthesia depend on the type of anesthesia you have, the part of your body that you are having surgery on, and your own body's individual response to the anesthesia. Some of the common side effects include: nausea, vomiting, grogginess, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, backache, and amnesia. These effects usually only last a few hours but some people report longer effects. Discuss any previous problems you may have had from anesthesia with your anesthesiologist before surgery. Back to top

What are common side effects of Anesthesia?

Mild nausea or vomiting is not uncommon after your surgery. It is more likely to occur if you have a history of nausea and vomiting with past surgeries. Depending on the type of anesthesia you receive, you may experience a sore throat, headache, drowsiness, muscle ache and/or fatigue for a few days after your procedure.

What are the side effects of general anesthesia?

Minor side effects from general anesthesia and surgery are common. These include nausea, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, or a generalized weak and foggy feeling. Fortunately these are most often not serious and resolve on their own in hours or a few days after surgery. Rarely these side effects are severe enough to require specific treatment or possibly further hospitalization.
Minor side effects from general anesthesia and surgery are common. These include nausea, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, or a generalized "hang-over" type feeling. Fortunately these are most often not serious and resolve on their own in hours or a few days after surgery. Rarely these side effects are severe enough to require specific treatment or possibly further hospitalization.
Common side effects of general anesthesia include a temporary sore throat from the breathing tube, shivering, grogginess in the immediate post-operative period, nausea and vomiting, and itching from pain medication.

Are there any side effects from the anesthesia?

Nausea sometimes occurs after both general anaesthesia and sedation, and may continue in a mild form for several days after surgery. You may find that moving around, riding in a car, or eating large meals can increase the feelings of nausea. Small, light meals are suggested. Try sips of ginger ale and soda crackers if you have nausea or vomiting or wait until you feel like eating. You should call your surgeon if your vomiting continues longer than 2 days. You may also have a sore throat. ...

What are the most common side-effects of epidural and spinal anesthesia?

The most common side effects from epidural and spinal anesthesia are: Itching — this is not an allergy, but a common side effect of some of the medication. A decrease in blood pressure — this is due to the medications and relief of pain. This is usually counteracted with increased IV fluids and occasionally, medication. For this reason, an IV is placed prior to the epidural. Vital signs of you and your baby will be followed during the epidural anesthetic. ...

What are some side effects of anesthesia?

The most common side effects are sore throat, nausea and headache. Children are often disoriented and may be temporarily delirious in the recovery room when they wake up. With spinal and epidural anesthetics, temporary difficulty with urination is common. Some pain medications may cause itching and nausea. These are common and temporary conditions.

What are the most common side effects of anesthesia?

Postoperative nausea and vomiting are common side effects and can also be related to certain types of surgical procedures, including tonsillectomy, eye surgery and laparoscopic surgery. Patients who are intubated (have a breathing tube placed for surgery) frequently have a sore throat or hoarse voice for one to two days after surgery. Other possible side effects will be discussed by the anesthesiologist.

What type of anesthesia should be used and what are the side effects?

A Usually local anesthesia will be administered to numb a specific area to be treated, along with a light sedative to make you feel drowsy and relaxed. Generally for larger areas, general anesthesia is applied which causes you to be asleep during the whole procedure. Any pain experienced is usually controlled with a medication prescribed by your surgeon. There may be some side effects with anesthesia. Some people have a slight feeling of nausea during the postoperative period. Some people may vomit, but this is uncommon. ...

Will I experience any side effects from the anesthesia?

Nausea sometimes occurs after having general anesthesia and sedation, and may continue in a mild state for a day or two after surgery. Moving around, riding in a car, force-feeding and drinking can all increase the feelings of nausea. Medication can be prescribed for severe vomiting, otherwise you will be fine in a few days. Enough intravenous (I.V.) fluid will be given during surgery so that you will not be in danger of dehydration if you cannot eat or drink immediately when you arrive at home. ...

Q: What are the side effects of general anesthesia?

There can be several types of side effects from general anesthesia. Their likelihood of occurrence, however, depends on your medical condition, type of surgery performed, your gender, type of anesthetic agents used, and many other factors. Your anesthesiologist will discuss these issues with you prior to surgery in detail. Most commonly, we will only see minor side effects, if any at all.

Q What type of anesthesia should be used and what are the side effects?

A Usually local anesthesia will be administered to numb a specific area to be treated, along with a light sedative to make you feel drowsy and relaxed. Generally for larger areas, general anesthesia is applied which causes you to be asleep during the whole procedure. Any pain experienced is usually controlled with a medication prescribed by your surgeon. There may be some side effects with anesthesia. Some people have a slight feeling of nausea during the postoperative period. Some people may vomit, but this is uncommon. ...

If I elect to have spinal anesthesia, will I be required to lay flat for 12 hours? Will my risk for post-anesthetic headache or other side effects increase?

Just as there have been great advances in anesthetic medicines, much progress has also been made in delivery of these medications. The risk of side effects has been greatly minimized by refinements in the size and shape of the needles used to administer spinal anesthetics. Bed rest following administration is no longer required, and the chance of post-operative headache and other side effects is equal to or lower than the risks from general anesthesia.
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