General anesthesia is the administration of general anesthetic agents that make a person unconscious and unable to feel pain - often used during operative procedures.
The combination of these anesthetic agents - intravenous drugs and inhaled gasses - is intended to induce:
- analgesia - loss of response to pain
- amnesia - loss of memory
- immobility - loss of motor reflexes
- unconsciousness
- relaxation of skeletal muscles
Local anesthesia, on the other hand, involves numbing a specific part of the body to prevent any feeling of pain during surgical procedures by applying anesthetic drugs.
Anesthesiologists (doctors who specialize in anesthesia) as well as certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) are typically in charge of ensuring that an optimal combination of these agents are given to the patient during surgery.
Attempts to make a general anesthetic were common in ancient Egypt, China and Babylonia.
But it was not until major scientific advancements were made in the late 19th century and the discovery of the germ theory of disease that antiseptic techniques began to develop.
Gradually a better understanding of pharmacology and physiology eventually led to more effective means of controlling of pain and the development of general anesthesia.
According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary1, general anesthesia is:
"loss of ability to perceive pain associated with loss of consciousness produced by intravenous or inhalation anesthetic agents; may include amnesia and muscle relaxation."
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