How Long Does It Take For Ach To Clear

How Long Does It Take For Anesthesia To Wear Off? Plus All Your Other Questions, Answered

Woman At The Doctors Office With a Medical Mask On

Last updated on May 31, 2021

If you've ever seen a video of someone who just got their wisdom teeth removed, you know that anesthesia can leave people feeling pretty, um...delirious. But how long do those effects actually last?

Whether you've been under anesthesia before, or it's your first time needing it, it's common to have questions (and even some fears) about how long it will stay in your system, what kind of side effects you might experience, and more.

To help answer some common questions, mbg spoke with board-certified anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician, Alopi Patel, M.D. Here's what she had to say about it.

In This Article

1

How long does anesthesia take to wear off?

2

What to keep in mind after anesthesia
3

Side effects

4

What to expect

How long does it take for anesthesia to wear off?

The side effects of general anesthesia (aka the type of anesthesia you inhale), take about an hour to wear off. The effects of intravenous (IV) anesthesia can also take up to an hour to subside, but may be less depending on how much is being used.

According to Patel, that just means the grogginess will fade within the hour. The systemic anesthesia, or the medicine remaining in your system, can last for up to four or five hours, she tells mbg.

Can you do anything to flush it out of your system?

When it's cleared by the doctor or dentist who performed the procedure, drinking plenty of water is a good way to increase elimination (read: urination), which helps flush waste out of the body.

However, there is not an evidence-based way to flush anesthesia out of your system. "You have to let your body do the job," Patel says.

4 basic things to keep in mind after anesthesia.

As a reminder, even if the grogginess has worn off, "it can take a few hours for the body to really metabolize the medication," Patel says. So there's a few key things to keep in mind after a procedure.

1. Don't exercise right away.

"We don't recommend coming out of general anesthesia and exercising right away," Patel says. Aside from the fact that anesthesia may still be in your system, there are generally limitations to movement and physical abilities post-surgery.

Depending on the operation, the surgeon should communicate any lifting restrictions, Patel says, as well as a timeline for adding exercise back in.

If you were given a local anesthetic for a minor procedure (think: removing a mole or filling a cavity) the restrictions might not be as limiting, but it's a good idea to wait at least 24 hours before doing any kind of intense exercise.

2. Don't make any major life decisions.

From a medical-legal standpoint, Patel advises against making any major life decisions within 24 hours of getting the anesthesia. "Don't get married, or divorced, or buy a car," she says only half-jokingly. "You might still have some potential grogginess."

3. Diet will vary post-procedure.

Depending on the type of surgery, some patients will be told to wait a few hours to eat or drink to reduce the risk of nausea, others will be placed on a liquid-only diet, and others will be allowed to eat or drink regularly.

When patients are able to add food back in, there's no standard recommended diet. Finding the type of diet that works for you, depending on your genes, dietary preferences, or allergy requirements, is the best route.

4. Drink plenty of water.

Patients are often told to refrain from eating eight hours prior to surgery to reduce the risk of vomiting. Naturally, that can dehydrate the body, Patel says.

"Most of the time, people will be getting intravenous fluid for at least the first couple hours after the surgery, and sometimes more," she explains. Once they're given permission by a doctor to drink fluids by mouth, staying hydrated becomes highly important for two reasons.

"One, to replete the dehydration from before the surgery. And two, to help your body do its job of metabolizing medications," she says.

What are the potential side effects of anesthesia?

Grogginess is one of the most common side effects of anesthesia. Some people will also experience nausea and/or vomiting. "Typically, female patients are at a slightly higher risk, as well as patients with a history of motion sickness," Patel says.

According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, other side effects of general anesthesia could include: a sore throat, confusion or delirium, muscle aches, chills and shivering, and itching.

Other things you should know before anesthesia.

Why do I need anesthesia in the first place?

Anesthesia is generally required for any procedure that would be painful to experience while awake, requires a feeding tube, or where the patient needs to remain still. It can also vary depending on the patient's individual needs.

For example, "Most people can get IUDs without anesthesia, but some patients might have a lower pain tolerance or higher medication requirements," Patel explains. Additionally, most dental procedures can be done with a local anesthetic, but if "some patients have a phobia or it's difficult for them to stay still, there is the option for them to have general anesthesia."

What should I expect before getting anesthesia?

You should stop eating eight hours before the procedure, and stop drinking clear liquids (water, black coffee, fruit juice without pulp, etc.) up to two hours before. Always consult with your doctor to make sure you're eating and drinking according to plan.

Anesthesiologists will also ask if you take medication, have allergies, drink alcohol, smoke, or take recreational drugs, to avoid any dangerous interactions with the medicine.

If the procedure requires a breathing tube, the anesthesiologist may also ask to look in your mouth. "This examination of your mouth is to assess for how much of the inside of your mouth we can see which is correlated with how easy or possibly challenging it may be to place a breathing tube," Patel and anesthesiologist Meera Kirpekar, M.D., write on their blog.

Bottom Line

Anesthesia can affect everyone differently, and it generally takes about an hour for the side effects to wear off—although the actual medicine may linger much longer. Drinking plenty of fluids, with permission from your doctor, can help you re-hydrate post-procedure, and may help flush excess waste out of your system.

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