Word: General Anesthesia
Definition:
General anesthesia is a medical term that refers to a state of complete unconsciousness that is caused by special drugs. This state is usually used during major surgeries so that the patient does not feel pain or remember anything during the operation.
Usage Instructions:
You can use "general anesthesia" when talking about surgery or medical procedures. It is often mentioned in discussions about what happens before an operation.
Example Sentence:
"The doctor explained that I would be under general anesthesia during the surgery, so I wouldn’t feel anything."
Advanced Usage:
In medical contexts, you might hear phrases like "administration of general anesthesia" or "recovery from general anesthesia," which refer to the processes of giving the drugs and the time it takes for patients to wake up afterward.
Word Variants:
- Anesthetic (noun): A substance that causes the state of anesthesia.
- Anesthetize (verb): To administer anesthetic drugs to make someone unconscious or numb.
- Anesthesia (noun): A broader term that refers to the loss of sensation or consciousness, which includes both general and local anesthesia.
Different Meaning:
While "general anesthesia" specifically refers to a complete loss of consciousness for surgeries, "anesthesia" on its own can also refer to local anesthesia, which numbs a specific area of the body but does not cause complete unconsciousness.
Synonyms:
- Total anesthesia
- Complete anesthesia
- General sedation (though this may imply a lighter state of sedation)
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "general anesthesia," but you might hear phrases like "put under" when referring to being given general anesthesia. For example:
- "They will put you under for the operation."
Overall, "general anesthesia" is an important term in healthcare, especially when discussing surgical procedures.