Is it possible for someone to experience anesthetic allergies (anesthesia)?

Anesthetic or anesthesia is usually used when you are about to undergo surgery or certain medical procedures. Whether that only numbs certain parts of the body, blocks pain in most parts of the body, to completely eliminate consciousness. However, which is often the question, can this anesthetic cause allergies? What alternatives can be done in this condition?

Is it possible for a person to experience allergies with anesthesia?

Everyone who is going to undergo surgery or certain medical procedures will always be given an anesthetic beforehand. However, is there a possibility for someone to be allergic to the administration of this anesthetic or anesthetic?

The answer is, allergic reactions to these anesthetics do occur, but they are not very common. In fact, according to the British Journal of Anesthesia, it is estimated that only 1 in 10,000 people who get anesthetics experience an allergic reaction afterward.

This condition is likely caused by the amount of anesthetic used, and not because you actually have an anesthetic allergy. However, it must be understood, even if you have an allergy to this anesthetic, usually serious problems rarely arise afterward, because doctors and medical personnel are generally competent to quickly identify any symptoms that may lead to an allergic reaction. In short, it needs to be underlined that allergies to anesthetics are actually very rare. Even though there are various unusual symptoms after getting an anesthetic, usually it is just a side effect reaction of the drug. Or not necessarily due to real allergies. Allergic reactions to anesthesia can be triggered by exposure to drugs and other substances, or neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) drugs. Several other types of drugs that are used during the anesthetic process, such as antibiotics and the antiseptic chlorexidine, can trigger an allergic reaction.

What side effects can it cause?

Again, an anesthetic allergic reaction is really just a side effect of the drug. So, it is not the anesthetic process that causes allergies, but the drugs used in the anesthetic process.

Mild side effects

The following are various possible side effects that may arise based on the type of anesthetic:

1. General anesthesia

General anesthesia is a general anesthesia process that leaves you unconscious during major surgery. Some of the side effects of general anesthetics include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Itchy skin
• Muscle ache
• Feeling cold and shivering
• Difficulty urinating for several hours after surgery
• Confusion that lasts for several hours or days after surgery

2. Local anesthesia

Local anesthesia is an anesthetic procedure that causes you to experience eye feeling only in certain parts of the body. Some of the side effects that may arise from local anesthetics include:

• Like experiencing tingling after being given an anesthetic
• Itching of the area under the anesthetic
• Mild pain around the injection site

3. Regional anesthesia

Regional anesthesia is the administration of an anesthetic that is useful for numbing larger areas of the body. For example, the stomach, waist, to the leg area.

Here are some of the side effects of regional anesthesia:

• Nausea
• Sleepiness for a full day or more
• Headache

Severe side effects

Meanwhile, severe side effects from anesthesia are very rare. If any, this condition is usually experienced by people with heart, lung, stroke and neurological diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.

One of the serious side effects of general anesthesia is postoperative delirium (postoperative delirium). This can make the sufferer experience confusion and memory loss for several days after undergoing surgery.

However, medical experts claim that the condition is caused by the operation process, and not due to side effects of anesthesia.

What can be done if you still need to be sedated?

A study published in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, describes several types of anesthetics that can cause allergies.

In this study, patients who were allergic to anesthetics but needed to be sedated before undergoing surgery were able to get other types of substitute drugs. Take for example when someone is allergic to lidocaine which is one of the anesthetic drugs.

Lidocaine did not come alone, but was still a group with the anesthetic drugs mepivacaine, bupivacaine, etidocaine and prilocaine. If a person is allergic to one of these drugs, it is possible that he is also allergic to other anesthetics in the same group.

As an alternative, anesthetics from other possible groups can be used. However, to find out the safety of all of these things, of course, need intervention from doctors and other medical personnel.

So, it is important to always convey any restrictions or complaints that you have or are feeling to the doctor. That way, doctors can find the best solution and treatment according to your health condition.