Anesthesia

Anesthesia is the process by which a substance or several substances are administered to a person for the purpose of blocking the perception of pain and other sensations. It permits patients to undergo surgical and other medical procedures without feeling the pain they would normally experience.

Local anesthesia is used to numb a specific area or region of the body. It is achieved by using anesthetics which stop the transmission of nerve impulses without causing unconsciousness.

General anesthesia is used to render the body, as a whole, insensitive to pain. It involves one or more of the following effects:

Analgesia - blocks the conscious perception of pain

Hypnosis - produces unconsciousness

Amnesia - stops memory formation

Relaxation - stops unwanted movement or muscle tone

The physician’s decision to use either local anesthesia versus general anesthesia depends on various factors, including the procedure being performed and the patient’s medical history. General anesthesia is used in ODI’s patented General Anesthesia Assisted Opiate Detoxification (GAAOD) procedure because it renders the patient insensitive to the pain of the severe withdrawal symptoms as the patient goes through the rapid detox procedure.