Other possible side effects after general anesthesia
In some cases, headaches and headaches with nausea occur after anesthesia. Although headaches are typical side effects of regional anaesthesia such as spinal or epidural anaesthesia, some patients report headaches as side effects after general anaesthesia. If headaches occur after general anaesthesia, the causes are rarely to be found in the anaesthetic itself.
In most cases, neither the drugs used nor the necessary procedures cause headaches directly. Here, nausea and confusion are the classic side effects. However, headaches can occur after general anesthesia, even if they do not last long.
This is due to the fact that during the anaesthesia there are influences on the brain, which sometimes reacts sensitively to external stimuli. Headaches after general anesthesia, however, have other reasons. One of them can be incorrect positioning during the operation.
Headaches are particularly conceivable as side effects during long operations, where the head must lie low. It is also possible that the patient’s fluid balance has become unbalanced during the operation. Although the anesthesiologist constantly monitors and corrects certain values such as blood pressure and fluid balance, a lack of water that causes headaches can occur.
In this case, these side effects are usually easy to treat by administering an infusion. Headaches after general anaesthesia are more common in older people. This is due to the fact that this group of patients often suffer from concomitant diseases, whereby cardiovascular problems and lung diseases in particular can promote the occurrence of headaches.
In summary, headaches are a rather rare side effect of general anesthesia and, if they occur, are usually not long-lasting. Tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be taken if one wants to shorten the intensity and duration of the pain. In contrast to general anesthesia, headaches are among the relatively common side effects of regional anesthesia, which is limited to the spinal cord.You can read more detailed information on this topic in the following article: Causes of headachesPeople who already have a previous heart condition can suffer from cardiac arrhythmia due to anaesthesia.
In most cases, these are elderly patients who suffer from cardiac insufficiency or atrial fibrillation and take appropriate medication. However, younger patients with heart muscle inflammation or congenital malformations can also be affected. The anaesthetic drugs have a very strong effect on the entire cardiovascular system and the administration of the anaesthetic also puts additional strain on the heart, which can trigger cardiac arrhythmia.
In extreme cases, these mechanisms lead to ventricular fibrillation, which is equivalent to cardiac arrest. You can find detailed information on this topic at Cardiac arrhythmiaPneumonia can be triggered by very different mechanisms. General anesthesia is usually an aspiration pneumonia.
This is pneumonia caused by inhaling liquid or vomit. Especially in case of general anesthesia, where other ventilation options than the classical intubation are used, inhalation of vomit can quickly occur. Even small amounts are sufficient for this, so that pneumonia can develop even despite aspiration of the vomit.
The most effective protection against an aspiration pneumonia is a classical intubation, because the path between the trachea and the esophagus is blocked. Diarrhoea can occur as a side effect following general anesthesia. However, this is usually unproblematic and disappears quickly.
Just like nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea can be caused by an intolerance to the anesthetic or painkillers used, for example. If the diarrhoea persists for a longer period of time, care must be taken to balance the electrolyte balance and ensure adequate fluid substitution, as the body loses both a lot of fluid and minerals via the aqueous stool. If the diarrhoea occurs after general anesthesia in the course of an abdominal operation, it must be taken seriously as a possible complication of the operation.
If the diarrhea does not stop in time, thorough follow-up checks should be carried out in the area of the operation in order not to overlook possible other causes of diarrhea. Sometimes diarrhea following general anesthesia is also caused by the decrease in stress. Many people are very nervous before an upcoming operation, which can have an effect on digestion.
Here too, if diarrhoea persists for a longer period of time, a medical clarification should be carried out. You can read more detailed information on this topic in the following article: Diarrhoea – Causes, Therapy & PrognosisMany medications have hair loss as a possible side effect and can often be detected in the hair even after months. Anaesthetics, which are powerful drugs, are no exception.
In addition, the body often reacts to stress with hair loss and general anesthesia and surgery are a pronounced stress situation for the body. The hair loss is usually only caused by more hair in the brush on and not by bald spots. In addition, hair loss is only a short-term consequence and stops by itself within a few days.
A side effect of general anesthesia is that the protective reflexes, like blinking, do not work. Therefore the eyes must be covered with a moisturizing gel to prevent the eyes from drying out. Another side effect in people with increased intraocular pressure is a further increase in intraocular pressure due to the stress-induced increase in the symphaticus, a part of the autonomic nervous system.
This leads to increased production of aqueous humor, which is more difficult to drain. In rare cases this leads to a detachment of the retina. Depression and fatigue can occur as a side effect or as a result of surgery under general anesthesia, but should normally subside after a short time.
The main signs of depression are a depressed mood, loss of interest and drive. Especially when these symptoms appear for the first time, a doctor should be consulted! Major operations can be a great strain not only on the body but also on the psyche.Particularly with psychologically preloaded patients or patients who have suffered a physical or psychological trauma, narcosis-typical situations such as: Loss of control, being delivered, numbness or fear of death can reactivate a trauma.
Since the drugs used in anaesthesia have a short-term effect on the metabolism of the brain and depressive disorders are associated with altered brain metabolism, it cannot be ruled out that there is a connection, although this theory has not been proven. In order to prevent depression and to take away the fear of the intervention, the procedure and other questions should be discussed in detail with the responsible physicians. Depression affects thousands of people every year and should not be underestimated. The next article will explain everything you need to know about preventing depression in detail: How to prevent depression