An anesthetic (American English) or anaesthetic (British English; see spelling differences) is a drug used to induce anesthesia ⁠— ⁠in other words, to result in a temporary loss of sensation or awareness.

Different types of anesthesia work in different ways. Some anesthetic medications numb certain parts of your body. Other anesthetics numb your brain so you can sleep through more invasive surgical …

anesthetic, any agent that produces a local or general loss of sensation, including pain. Anesthetics achieve this effect by acting on the brain or peripheral nervous system to suppress responses to …

Jan 17, 2025 · General anesthesia usually uses a combination of medicines given through a vein and inhaled gases. You'll feel as though you're asleep. But general anesthesia does more than put you to …

May 20, 2025 · Anesthesia is a medical intervention that prevents patients from feeling pain during procedures like surgery, certain screening and diagnostic tests, tissue sample removal (e.g., skin …

Sep 5, 2025 · Anesthesia is commonly characterized into four main types: general, regional, local, and sedation (monitored anesthesia care, or MAC). The choice of anesthesia depends on factors such as …

General anesthesia is medicine that is used to put you in a state like deep sleep during surgery. The medicine may be inhaled through a breathing mask or tube. Or it may be given through an IV …

ANESTHETIC definition: 1. US spelling of anaesthetic 2. a substance that makes you unable to feel pain: 3. a drug that…. Learn more.

May 31, 2024 · What are anaesthetics used for? Anaesthetics are used for a wide range of medical procedures. For example, tests and surgical operations. Nerve signals usually keep you awake and …

Three broad categories of anesthesia exist: General anesthesia suppresses central nervous system activity and results in unconsciousness and total lack of sensation, using either injected or inhaled …