General anesthesia works by interrupting nerve signals in your brain and body. It prevents your brain from processing pain and from remembering what happened during your surgery. A specially trained doctor or nurse, called an anesthesiologist, gives you general anesthesia and cares for you before, during, and after your surgery. A nurse anesthetist and other team members may also be involved in your care. Your anesthesia team will check your breathing and other body functions while you're in surgery. Before your surgery, you'll get anesthesia through an IV line that goes into a vein in your arm or hand. You might also breathe in gas through a mask. You should fall asleep within a couple of minutes. After surgery, the doctor will stop your anesthesia medicines. You'll go to a recovery room, where you'll slowly wake up. The doctors and nurses will check to make sure you're not in pain and that you don't have any problems from the surgery or the anesthesia.