Creepy Things That Happen To The Body When Under Anesthesia
By Rio Dennis
1 year ago
1. Feeling Sick/Vomiting After Surgery
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This is a very common side effect of anaesthesia, and it will occur when you come out of surgery. Your body will still be getting over the drowsiness of the drug, so it is more than likely that you will feel highly nauseous (and more than likely vomit).2. Sore Throat
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Similarly to nausea, you will experience a sore throat. This will be due to the lack of fluids you were able to consume prior to your procedure. Again, this is a very common side effect of anaesthetic, and it may take your body some time to recover.3. Shivering
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Shivering will often occur alongside the nausea and vomiting, as your body will be trying to maintain its temperature, whilst combatting any other side effects you may be experiencing. Shivering may also occur if you're highly anxious, or in any way panicked after your procedure.4. Headache
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Another common side effect is experiencing a headache. Again, this will occur due to the lack of fluids and food you've consumed prior to your procedure. You may also experience a headache if you are particularly sensitive to the fluorescent lights within a hospital.5. Aches, pains and backache
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You will find that your body is going to ache all over, especially where you've had your procedure. As anaesthetic works as a muscle relaxant, you will find that after surgery, your muscles will experience a deep, throbbing pain and will feel somewhat heavy.6. Bruising and soreness
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You may find excessive bruising on and around the injection area, especially if it was difficult for your anaesthetist to find a suitable vein for safe injection. This bruising may be much darker in colour, and will take your body longer to recover from.7. Confusion and memory loss
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Experiencing amnesia post-procedure is not as common, but it is still very likely. It often comes with feelings of disorientation, severe confusion and a general lack of awareness and understanding when it comes to your surroundings. This may also lead you to be unable to fully identify friends and family.8. Chest infection
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You're more likely to experience a chest infection, caused by anaesthetic, if you're a smoker and/or if you have an existing health condition e.g. asthma, bronchitis and general respiratory issues. If this is the case, you should notify medical personnel immediately.9. Bladder problems
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Following your procedure, you may experience problems with your bladder that cause you extreme pain and overall discomfort. It may not arise immediately, and could develop a few hours or days post-procedure. However, if this pain does not subside within a suitable time frame, you should contact a doctor.10. Breathing difficulties
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Breathing difficulties are likely to arise prior to your operation, especially once you enter the operating theatre and are being prepared for surgery. Difficulty breathing will likely happen if you are prone to panic attacks, high anxiety, feelings of claustrophobia and asthma.11. Damage to your teeth, lips or tongue
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This particular side effect is most common with the use of general anaesthetic. This is due to the use of a breathing tube, which is inserted into your mouth for the operation. Damage can occur during insertion and/or removal of this tube, so there isn't much you can do to prevent this.12. An existing medical condition getting worse
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This really only applies to medical conditions such as: asthma, bronchitis, COPD, diabetes and any conditions that affect your blood pressure. This is due to the overall effects that anaesthetic has on your breathing. Again, this is something that should be discussed with a medical professional.13. Damage to your eyes
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This side effect will usually develop post-procedure. Your body may have an adverse effect to the anaesthetic, and your body will try to tackle this in many ways. One of these ways may be via your eyes e.g. excessive weeping, eye infection, blurred vision and lack of vision (going blind).14. Serious allergy to drugs
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If you have an extensive history of allergies, especially when it comes to medication, it is highly likely that your body will react to any kind of anaesthetic. This can present itself via rashes, general irritation (and in some cases) anaphylactic shock.15. Nerve damage
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Nerve damage will likely occur during your procedure, and you will feel the effects of it during your recovery process. However, nerve damage can occur via the injection of anaesthetic, and will leave lasting damage to nerves within that area of your body.16. Death
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There have been cases where people have died whilst being under anaesthetic. It can happen prior to your procedure, during your procedure or shortly after your procedure. Although it is a rare side effect, it does happen, and you (and your loved ones) should be prepared for this.17. Equipment failure
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Equipment failure may happen during your procedure, whether it is the operating equipment, or the medical equipment ensuring you remain stable during your operation. Unfortunately, this is something out of your control, and can only be handled by a medical professional.18. Awareness
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Awareness of your surroundings, although rare, may still occur. Despite you being medically 'unconscious', your senses become heightened e.g. hearing equipment and medial personnel. This 'awareness' might be something similar to what a come patient may experience.19. Loss of control over words
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This will most likely occur prior to an operation and after waking up. As anaesthetic is a numbing drug, you will experience drowsiness and extreme muscle relaxation, which can lead to a loss of control when it comes to your speech. This side effect should usually subside within a day or so.20. Extreme constipation
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It is more than likely that you will experience this side effect during your recovery process. Again, this is your body's response to the lack of fluids and food you would have consumed prior to an operation. You can ask your doctor for medication (you can take orally) to help your bowel movements.21. Random muscle twitching
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As mentioned previously, anaesthetic (in any form) is a muscle relaxant. This means that following an operation, once the drug wears off, your muscles will ache, feel heavy and may be prone to random and erratic twitches. This side effect will usually take a couple of days to subside.22. Intense dreams and hallucinations
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Whilst under anaesthetic you may experience extremely vivid, and somewhat confusing, dreams/visions. When you wake up from an operation, the drowsiness you experience can develop into strange visual and audible hallucinations. This side effect, although worrying, is not harmful.23. Waking up emotional or crying from anaesthesia
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Following a procedure, you may wake up and suddenly become very emotional. This side effect will often occur alongside the feelings of disorientation, loss of control over your speech and possible hallucinations. Any strange/severe emotions should subside within a couple of hours.24. Difficulty urinating
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Another bodily function you will struggle with is urinating. Again, it's no surprise that this will be due to the lack of fluids you have consumed prior to your procedure. Don't panic, your ability to urinate should return within hours after an operation.25. Haematoma
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A haematoma is bleeding under the skin. This may occur in the injection area of the anaesthetic, or the surrounding operation area. It can spread and should be treated as soon as possible (after you have started your initial recovery process; to avoid any complications).26. Pneumothorax
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Pneumothorax occurs when an injection accidentally enters a lung, punctures it and causes the lung to collapse. Of course this is possible, if your anaesthetic injection occurs on your chest or near your rib cage. This will be out of your control, and dealt with accordingly by a doctor.27. Waking up midway through surgery
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Although this side effect is somewhat rare, there have been multiple cases of people waking up midway through surgery. This is a result of their anaesthetic dose being wrong for their weight, height and other contributing factors. For example, a heavy drinker and/or smoker would need a higher dosage of anaesthetic, compared to a standard person.28. Paralysis
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Paralysis is a rare side effect, but it occurs and it can have a lasting impact on you. You will more than likely experience temporary paralysis, however you may experience periodical or permanent paralysis long after your operation. Paralysis can be treated via suitable physical therapy treatment.29. Itchiness
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Itchiness will occur once the anaesthetic has fully worn off, and your body starts to recover. Your skin may become irritated and highly sensitive, which will cause you to scratch your skin and come up with rashes periodically. It is best if you avoid irritating the skin further by scratching.30. Dry mouth
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