Interactive explainer
Types of anaesthesia, compared calmly
General, spinal, nerve block or local with sedation: each does a different job. Choose a type to read what actually happens, then compare all four side by side.
General anaesthesia
A carefully controlled state of unconsciousness for the whole operation.
- Will I be awake?
- No: you are fully unconscious and remember nothing of the operation.
- What actually happens
- Medicines given through a small cannula in your hand, or a gas you breathe, send you into a controlled sleep-like state. The anaesthetist stays with you throughout, watching your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and depth of anaesthesia continuously, and wakes you at the end.
- Typical uses
- Longer or bigger operations, for example abdominal or chest surgery
- Operations where you need to be completely still
- When a patient prefers to be fully asleep and it is safe to do so
- Afterwards
- You wake in the recovery room with a nurse beside you. Grogginess fades over hours; you need an adult with you overnight and must not drive, work machinery or sign important documents for at least 24 hours.
- Common temporary effects
- Drowsiness for the rest of the day
- Sore or dry throat for a day or two
- Feeling sick, which modern medicines usually settle quickly
- Shivering or feeling cold in recovery
- Good questions to ask
- Will I meet my anaesthetist before the operation?
- What will be used to keep me comfortable when I wake?
- Is there anything about my health that changes my plan?
All four side by side
| Question | General | Spinal / epidural | Nerve block | Local / sedation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awake during the procedure | No | Usually, sedation optional | Usually, sedation optional | Yes, drowsy if sedated |
| What is numbed or asleep | The whole of you | Lower half of the body | One limb or region | A small specific area |
| Fasting rules usually apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only when sedation is planned |
| Typical first hours afterwards | Recovery room, drowsy for hours | In bed until legs fully return | Numb limb needs protecting | Often home quickly |
| Adult escort and 24h of no driving | Yes | Yes when sedated | Yes when sedated | Yes when sedated |
Reviewed against RCoA anaesthesia-explained patient information and NHS anaesthesia pages.
Sources
- You and your anaesthetic: patient information Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA), 2023
- General anaesthesia NHS, 2023
- Local anaesthesia NHS, 2023
- Types of anesthesia explained American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), 2024
Last reviewed: 2026-07-16
Whatever the type, preparation is the same: build your fasting timeline and prepare for the assessment questions.