Why does anaesthetic make you cry

And you may be wondering why sedation makes people act strange. As you may already know, the helpful effects of dental sedation boil down to the same basic process, no matter what type of sedative is used. Sedatives used in dentistry affect certain parts of the brain and certain brain chemicals. In turn, this alters your state of consciousness and your behavior.

This helps reduce anxiety and can also affect your memory, emotions, and ability for rational thought. At our Rothschild office, we offer both nitrous oxide sedation laughing gas and oral conscious sedation, which uses a pill-based sedative. You may feel a little nauseated or confused for a bit, but this wears off quickly. But we sometimes also see it even if we pre-medicate a child with a sedative or anti-anxiety medicine prior to coming into the operating room.

Children aged years seem to have a higher incidence of emergence delirium. There are other child-specific characteristics that may also be associated with emergence delirium, but again, those are harder to define and therefore study. So, why does emergence delirium happen? Honestly, nobody really knows. Some speculate that it has to do with the immaturity of the brain, others with the rapidity with which the anesthesia drugs leave the brain.

Others point to the surgery itself, or the temperament of the child. This all leaves us in a quandary. Multiple different anesthetic techniques and medications have been tried. The good news is that emergence delirium is not permanent, and does not cause any long-term side effects. In most cases, we tend to ride out the storm, which passes after minutes. Such a child usually requires extra hands to help the recovery room nurse keep the patient from pulling out IV catheters, dressings, or drains.

If we are faced with an especially robust bout of emergence delirium, we will give additional sedatives. I think of this sort of like a soft reset for your phone or computer. That almost always works. Reuniting children with their parents tends to help as well. Although I have no scientific data to back this up, I feel that there is a fundamental difference between an adult emerging from anesthesia and a child. When an adult emerges from an anesthetic they are confused and disoriented.

Crying after anesthesia may also be caused by stress related to surgery. Follow us. Facebook Twitter Youtube. Browse Other FAQs. Bone Graft. Cosmetic Dentistry. Deep Cleaning. Dental Implants. Loose Tooth. Oral Health. Root Canal. Sensitive Teeth. Third Molar.

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