Anesthesia

A loss of feeling or awareness caused by drugs or other substances. Anesthesia keeps patients from feeling pain during surgery or other procedures. Local anesthesia is a loss of feeling in one small area of the body. Regional anesthesia is a loss of feeling in a part of the body, such as an arm or leg. General anesthesia is a loss of feeling and a complete loss of awareness that feels like a very deep sleep.

(A-nes-THEE-zhuh) Drugs or substances that cause loss of feeling or awareness. Local anesthetics cause loss of feeling in a part of the body. General anesthetics put the person to sleep.

(an"es-the'zhuh) loss of the ability to feel pain, caused by administration of a drug or by other medical interventions; loss of sensation, usually by damage to a nerve or receptor; called also numbness.