spinal anaesthesia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical / Medical
Quick answer
What does “spinal anaesthesia” mean?
A medical procedure involving the injection of local anaesthetic into the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the spinal cord to induce numbness and loss of sensation in the lower body.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A medical procedure involving the injection of local anaesthetic into the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the spinal cord to induce numbness and loss of sensation in the lower body.
A specific type of regional anaesthesia, blocking nerve impulses from the lower spinal segments. Also used as a general term in medical contexts for the technique and its effects.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'anaesthesia' with 'ae'; American English uses 'anesthesia' (spinal anesthesia). British English more commonly uses 'spinal' alone as a noun (e.g., 'she had a spinal'), whereas American English uses the full term more often.
Connotations
Identical medical connotations. Colloquially, in the UK, 'spinal' might be used more casually among medical staff.
Frequency
More frequent in American medical writing due to higher incidence of full-term usage.
Grammar
How to Use “spinal anaesthesia” in a Sentence
The anaesthetist performed spinal anaesthesia [ON the patient].The patient was given spinal anaesthesia [FOR the procedure].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spinal anaesthesia” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The consultant decided to spinalise the patient for the hip replacement.
- They are going to do a spinal.
American English
- The anesthesiologist will spinalize the patient.
- We need to place a spinal for this case.
adverb
British English
- The area was anaesthetised spinally.
- The drug was administered spinally.
American English
- The patient was anesthetized spinally.
- The medication works spinally.
adjective
British English
- The spinal anaesthetic agent was bupivacaine.
- He reviewed the spinal anaesthesia protocol.
American English
- The spinal anesthesia procedure was straightforward.
- She studied spinal anesthesia outcomes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Common in medical journals, surgical textbooks, and anaesthesiology research papers.
Everyday
Used when discussing medical procedures, typically in a patient-doctor context or personal health stories.
Technical
Core term in anaesthesiology, surgery, obstetrics (e.g., for caesarean sections), and orthopaedics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “spinal anaesthesia”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “spinal anaesthesia”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spinal anaesthesia”
- Misspelling 'anaesthesia'/'anesthesia'. Confusing it with an epidural (which is injected outside the dura mater). Using it as an uncountable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'She was given spinal anaesthesia' is correct).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Spinal anaesthesia involves a single injection into the cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space, while an epidural involves placing a catheter in the epidural space outside the dura mater. They are different techniques.
You typically feel pressure and movement but no sharp pain or temperature sensation in the anaesthetised area.
The effect depends on the drug used but commonly lasts between 1 to 4 hours.
Common side effects can include low blood pressure, headache (spinal headache), itching, and temporary difficulty urinating.
A medical procedure involving the injection of local anaesthetic into the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the spinal cord to induce numbness and loss of sensation in the lower body.
Spinal anaesthesia is usually technical / medical in register.
Spinal anaesthesia: in British English it is pronounced /ˌspaɪnəl ˌænɪsˈθiːziə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌspaɪnəl ˌænəsˈθiʒə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think SPINE + AL for 'related to the spine', and ANAESTHESIA for 'loss of feeling' – loss of feeling via the spine.
Conceptual Metaphor
A targeted switch (turning off sensation only in a specific zone of the body).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary site of action for spinal anaesthesia?