Regional Anesthesia

This is an injection of anesthetic. It blocks pain in a large area of your body. It doesn't put you to sleep. But along with it, we may give you medicine to relax you or put you to sleep.

How is it given?

How is the anesthetic given? Well, that depends on what area we need to numb. For some areas, we inject anesthetic near a nerve or a bundle of nerves. It bathes the nerves. It blocks pain in the area through which the nerves travel.

Numbing the lower body

To numb your lower body, we inject anesthetic near your spinal nerves. We call this an "epidural" or a "spinal." Often, we place a catheter near the spinal nerves and inject the anesthetic through the catheter. We leave the catheter in place so we can give you more medicine as needed.

Conclusion

The numbing effect of the anesthetic can last for hours. We'll help you control pain as the medicine wears off. Follow your care plan for a safe recovery.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.