Is Anaesthesia Safe? Chinchwad Hospital on 4 Myths

Is anaesthesia safe? For most people, yes, when it is planned after a pre-anaesthesia check-up and the fasting time is followed. At Chetna Hospital in Chinchwad, PCMC, the anaesthesia team checks your heart, lungs, sugar and medicines before surgery. So book that check-up early and bring every worry with you.

Key takeaways

• Most fears about anaesthesia come from stories, not from theatre.
• Also, a spinal does not cause long-term back pain after childbirth.
• An empty stomach protects your lungs, so fasting matters.
• Age alone does not rule it out; instead, the check-up decides.
• Then, in theatre, your anaesthetist stays with you throughout.

In this article

• The first question families ask
• Spinal injections and back pain
• Why fasting matters
• Older parents and anaesthesia
• Who watches you while you sleep
• Slides to save and share
• Tell your doctor before surgery
• What patients say
• Questions patients ask

Last updated 16 October 2026

Is anaesthesia safe? The first question families ask

When a surgery date is fixed, most families do not ask about the operation first. Instead, they ask about the needle, the gas and if they will wake up. [Chetna Hospital: confirm that this matches what your surgical counsellors and anaesthetists hear most often.]

So on World Anaesthesia Day, we have put the four fears we hear most often next to what actually happens. However, the answers below are general. So your own plan comes from your anaesthetist, after your check-up.

Why this is in the news now: 16 October is World Anaesthesia Day. It marks the first public demonstration of ether anaesthesia in 1846, and anaesthesia societies in more than 150 countries mark the day.

Is anaesthesia safe if it is a spinal injection?

“The spinal will give me back pain for life” is a fear we hear from new mothers and from older people before knee or hip surgery. However, the facts say otherwise. The Royal College of Anaesthetists states that spinal anaesthetics do not cause back pain after childbirth.

Still, a spot of soreness where the needle went in can last a few days. A few people get a headache after a spinal, and it can be treated. So tell the team if a headache gets worse when you sit up.

Is anaesthesia safe if I eat a little before surgery?

No. This is because, when you are asleep, the reflexes that protect your airway relax. As a result, food or milk in the stomach can come back up and enter the lungs. That is why you get a fixed time to stop eating.

Also, the exact rule depends on the operation and on you. For example, many NHS hospitals allow clear water for longer than food. So follow the time your anaesthetist gives you, not what a relative did last year. Then ask which of your regular tablets to take that morning, with a sip of water. [Chetna Hospital: confirm the standard fasting instruction sheet given to patients and whether it is in Marathi and Hindi too.]

Is anaesthesia safe for older parents?

Many families in PCMC tell us, “Aai is too old, she cannot take anaesthesia.” In practice, age alone does not decide it. Instead, the check-up looks at her heart, lungs, sugar, blood pressure, kidneys and every tablet she takes. Then the doctor picks the type and dose.

A pattern we often see. A woman in her late sixties from Pimpri or Nigdi is listed for a knee or hip operation. Her children want to postpone because of her age, and nobody has told the team about her blood thinner. Then, at the check-up, the team asks about her sugar, her heart tablets and how she sleeps at night. Once those are answered, the plan is made around her, not around the number. [Chetna Hospital: confirm this matches the usual pattern your anaesthetists see in older patients.]

Is anaesthesia safe once I am asleep? Who watches me?

Your anaesthetist does. In fact, they stay with you for the whole operation. Meanwhile, screens show your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and oxygen every minute. Then, after surgery, you wake up in a recovery area. There, nurses keep watch until you are steady.

Also, waking up during general anaesthesia is very rare, because the anaesthetist uses drugs and monitoring to prevent it. [Chetna Hospital: confirm the name of the recovery area or ICU where patients are monitored after surgery.]

Slides to save and share

What should you tell your doctor before anaesthesia?

Tell the team straight away, before your surgery date, if any of these apply:

• Blood thinners, diabetes tablets or insulin.
• A past bad reaction to anaesthesia, in you or your family.
• Loud snoring, or pauses in breathing during sleep.
• Loose teeth, caps or dentures.
• Chest pain, breathlessness or fever in the days before surgery.

For planned operations, read about our general surgery department and keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery. Similarly, bone and joint patients can see our orthopaedic surgery page. After major operations, some patients are watched in our intensive care unit. Finally, for insurance, check the cashless facility list.

What patients say on Google

Here is what some patients wrote after surgery and treatment at Chetna Hospital. You can also read all reviews on Google. Individual experiences vary.

Where can you ask about anaesthesia near you?

Chinchwad: Chetna Hospital, Plot GP 116, G Block, MIDC, Sambhaji Nagar Road, Chinchwad, Pimpri-Chinchwad 411019. Call 91586 81123. Directions

Patients visit from Chinchwad, Pimpri, Akurdi, Nigdi, Ravet and Wakad. Others also come from Hinjewadi, Pimple Saudagar, Thergaon, Tathawade, Punawale, Moshi and Bhosari.

Is anaesthesia safe? Questions patients ask

Is anaesthesia safe for most people?

Yes. For most people, anaesthesia is safe when it is planned after a pre-anaesthesia check-up and the fasting time is followed. Also, serious problems are rare, and your anaesthetist watches you throughout the operation.

Does a spinal injection cause long-term back pain?

The Royal College of Anaesthetists says a spinal does not cause long-term back pain after childbirth. Still, some soreness where the needle went in can last a few days.

Why do I have to fast before anaesthesia?

When you are asleep, food or drink in the stomach can come back up and enter the lungs. So keep the exact fasting time your anaesthetist gives you.

Is anaesthesia safe for older parents?

Age alone does not decide it. Instead, the check-up looks at the heart, lungs, sugar, kidneys and medicines. Then the anaesthetist chooses the type and dose for that person.

Where can I ask whether anaesthesia is safe for me in Chinchwad?

You can book a consultation at Chetna Hospital, Plot GP 116, G Block, MIDC, Sambhaji Nagar Road, Chinchwad. Call 91586 81123 and ask about the pre-anaesthesia check-up.

Sources

• Royal College of Anaesthetists: Spinal anaesthetics – risks and side effects
• Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust: Adult fasting guidelines before your operation
• East Kent Hospitals NHS: You and your anaesthetic
• World Anaesthesia Day

Disclaimer: This article is for general awareness. It does not replace a medical consultation. So please ask your own surgeon and anaesthetist about your operation.