Anesthesia is broken down into three main categories: local,
regional, and general, all of which affect the nervous system in
some way and can be administered using various methods and
different medications. Here's a basic look at each kind: - Local
anesthesia. An anesthetic drug (which can be given as a shot,
spray, or ointment) numbs only a small, specific area of the
body (for example, a foot, hand, or patch of skin). With local
anesthesia, a person is awake or sedated, depending on what is
needed. Local anesthesia lasts for a short period of time and is
often used for minor outpatient procedures (when patients come
in for surgery and can go home that same day). For someone
having outpatient surgery in a clinic or doctor's office (such
as the dentist or dermatologist), this is probably the type of
anesthetic used. The medicine used can numb the area during the
procedure and for a short time afterwards to help control post-
surgery discomfort. - Regional anesthesia. An anesthetic drug is
injected near a clus