Science
How does anaesthesia work?
Anaesthesia works by using drugs to block pain signals or switch off consciousness so medical procedures can be done safely. Local anaesthesia numbs one area by blocking nerves, while general anaesthesia makes you fully unconscious.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how anaesthesia works.
Step by step
- 1It uses drugs to prevent pain during procedures.
- 2Local anaesthesia numbs a small area by blocking nearby nerves.
- 3General anaesthesia makes you fully unconscious.
- 4It interrupts nerve signals or brain activity temporarily.
- 5An anaesthetist carefully monitors and controls the dose.
Frequently asked questions
- How does anaesthesia stop pain?
- It blocks nerves from carrying pain signals (local) or alters brain activity to remove consciousness and sensation entirely (general).
- What's the difference between local and general anaesthesia?
- Local numbs a specific area while you stay awake; general makes you completely unconscious for major surgery.
- Is general anaesthesia like sleep?
- Not really — it's a drug-induced, closely monitored unconscious state, deeper and more controlled than natural sleep.