What are the types of anaesthesia ?

Local anaesthesia
A local anaesthetic numbs a small part of your body.
It is used when the nerves can easily be reached by drops,
sprays, ointments or injections. You stay conscious but free
from pain.

Regional anaesthesia
Regional anaesthesia can be used for operations on larger or
deeper parts of the body. Local anaesthetic drugs are injected
near to the bundles of nerves which carry signals from that
area of the body to the brain.
The most common regional anaesthetics (also known as
regional ‘blocks’) are spinal and epidural anaesthetics.
These can be used for operations on the lower body such as
Caesarean sections, bladder operations or replacing a hip
joint. You stay conscious but free from pain.

General anaesthesia
General anaesthesia is a state of controlled unconsciousness
during which you feel nothing and may be described as
‘anaesthetised’. This is important for some operations and
may be used as an alternative to regional anaesthesia for
others.
Anaesthetic drugs injected into a vein, or anaesthetic gases
breathed into the lungs, are carried to the brain by the blood.
They stop the brain recognising messages coming from the
nerves in the body.Controlled unconsciousness is different from unconsciousness
due to disease or injury and is different from sleep.
As the anaesthetic drugs wear off, your consciousness starts
to return.

Combining types of anaesthesia
Anaesthetic drugs and techniques are often combined.
For example: A regional anaesthetic may be given as well as a general
anaesthetic to provide pain relief after the operation.