There are other, less common, forms of anesthesia that can be used in certain situations. General anesthesia is a type of anesthesia which puts the person to sleep. The person is made unconscious with medications that are breathed into the lungs or injected into the veins. In general anesthesia, a person is also temporarily paralyzed with medications. A person has no memory of the surgery when he or she wakes up.
General anesthesia is used for most major operations.
Epidural anesthesia and spinal anesthesia both involve injecting medications into the spinal column. The medications act directly on the spinal cord and nerves to stop the feeling of pain. A person is generally awake during the procedure. These types of anesthesia are commonly used during childbirth and with surgeries below the belly button. Regional anesthesia , local anesthesia , or topical anesthesia involve injecting medication into the skin or rubbing it onto the skin near the site of the procedure.