At Home After Surgery:
After Anesthesia
Anesthesia is a medicine used to prevent pain during medical procedures or make you go to sleep during surgery.
It can take a little while before you feel completely back to normal after getting anesthesia. Your body needs time to recover, but the side effects are usually mild and go away on their own.
How you feel after anesthesia will depend on the type of anesthesia you were given. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have questions about the type of anesthesia you received, and what side effects you might expect as you recover.
After sedation
Sedation is a type of anesthesia that makes you feel drowsy but does not put you all the way to sleep. Sedation reduces awareness and anxiety without complete unconsciousness, so it’s often used for less invasive procedures.
Generally, people recover quickly after sedation, but some side effects can include:
• Feeling drowsy. Grogginess can last for a few hours after sedation. You should wait a full 24 hours before operating machinery, making important decisions, or signing legal documents. While recovering, do not drink alcohol. Check with your doctor before taking any medications or supplements.
• Mild nausea. Take your time when moving around. A bland diet of clear liquids, toast and rice can help.
After local or regional anesthesia
Local and regional anesthesia are both used to numb a certain area of the body. Local anesthesia numbs a small area of your body, like your hand or foot. Regional anesthesia numbs a larger area, like your legs or lower body. Some types of regional anesthesia are spinal and epidural anesthesia.
Because these types of anesthesia numb certain areas, patients can remain awake during their procedures. Recovery time is generally short.
Side effects of local and regional anesthesia can include:
• Headache. After regional anesthesia, you might get a headache if some spinal fluid leaked from where the needle was placed. Call your doctor if the headache is severe. You may get relief through a procedure called a blood patch.
• Itching. Some anesthesia medication can cause itching. This is more common with spinal anesthesia. Your doctor may be able to prescribe medication to help.
• Pain or a bruise. You may have bruising and temporary pain where the needle was inserted.
• Trouble peeing. If your lower body was numbed, it might take a little time for your bladder to “wake up.”
• Nerve damage. Very rarely, the needle could cause damage to a nearby nerve.
Understanding the Side Effects and
What to Expect During Recovery
Malignant Hyperthermia
In very rare cases, anesthesia can cause a condition called malignant hyperthermia. This makes your body temperature rise quickly and can lead to muscle stiffness or a seizure. It is a medical emergency. Get emergency care if you have a fever that rises fast, or very stiff muscles.
After general anesthesia
General anesthesia makes you completely unconscious, or “asleep,” so you’re unaware of the surgery. You are unconscious and do not feel pain. Your anesthesiologist may use several medications to help you go to sleep, relax your muscles, and control pain.
You’ll need more recovery time after general anesthesia, compared to the other anesthesia types. For at least 24 hours after general anesthesia, have someone stay with you. Don’t do things that require clear thinking and focus, including: driving a car, operating machinery, signing legal documents, cooking, or looking after children. Try to rest for the remainder of the day, and abstain from alcohol for 24 hours.
Because general anesthesia involves the entire body, some common side effects are:
• Drowsiness. It’s normal to feel tired or groggy when you wake up. This can last for 24 hours.
• Dizziness. This can last for a few hours after waking up. Be sure to move slowly and carefully.
• Nausea and vomiting. You might feel sick to your stomach, but this usually gets better within a few hours. Sip clear liquids and progress to more intake as you tolerate it. Your doctor may be able to prescribe medication to help.
• Headache. Headaches after anesthesia, especially after spinal or epidural anesthesia, are fairly common. While most headaches will be mild and temporary, others can be more severe. Drink plenty of fluids, and contact your care team if your headache is severe, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms like fever, vision changes, or seizures.
• Dry mouth. This can happen as a side effect of certain medications and is temporary.
• Sore throat. If a breathing tube was used during surgery, your throat might feel sore for a few days afterward.
• Confusion. You might feel a little confused or have trouble remembering things for a short time.
• Muscle aches. Your body can feel sore for a day or two. This can be due to certain medications used.
• Itching. Some anesthesia medicines can cause itching. Itching after general anesthesia is less common and usually milder than the type of itching after spinal anesthesia.
• Chills and shivering. It’s common to feel cold, and shiver when you wake up. This usually goes away shortly after surgery, but can last a few hours.
Warning signs: when to call for help
Every year, millions of Americans safely have anesthesia for their medical procedures. Still, problems can sometimes arise. Seek medical care if you have:
• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing
• Throwing up for over 24 hours
• A fever
• Chills and shivering after a few hours
• A headache
• Confusion after 24 hours
Your care team understands that you may have questions and concerns when you get home. If you have questions about anesthesia, your doctors and nurses are available to help you.
Resources:
Effects of Anesthesia. American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Conscious sedation for surgical procedures. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
General anesthesia. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Anesthesia Risk Assessment. American Society of Anesthesiologists.

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