Manipulation Under Anesthesia

Manipulation Under Anesthesia, otherwise known as MUA, is a non-invasive, outpatient procedure offered for chronic conditions which include: neck pain, back pain, joint pain, muscle spasms, shortened muscles, fibrous adhesions and long-term pain syndromes.  By lightly anesthetizing the patient, once painful adjustments and movements are accomplished quickly and pain free helping to greatly improve or even restore range of motion.  Manipulation Under Anesthesia is a viable alternative for those patients that are not responding to traditional conservative care or other invasive procedures such as surgery.

In general, patients selected for MUA are those with certain neck, mid-back, lower back or other spinal conditions that have received conservative care for six to eight weeks with limited or no improvement in symptoms or findings.  MUA may also be appropriate for those patients that still experience pain after after undergoing various invasive treatments such as surgery. 

Common indications for MUA include neck, middle or lower back pain, chronic muscle pain and inflammation, acute and chronic muscle spasm, chronic fibrositis, nerve entrapment, disk pathology including herniated disks, torticollis and failed back surgery.

Not all patients qualify for MUA as certain contraindications prevent some from undergoing the procedure. 

The MUA procedure involves three consecutive days of treatment that includes spinal manipulative therapy and MUA stretches.  The patient is lightly sedated during the MUA procedure, the usual resistance and pain associated with manipulation is eliminated.  Following the procedure, treatment continues as strengthening and stabilization programs are initiated over the next few weeks.   A home stretching program is then established to maintain the benefits and improvement provided by the MUA.  

The MUA procedure is performed in an Outpatient Surgical Center where patients can receive the best in comprehensive, personalized care as well as the convenience and privacy of a same day surgical center.  A board certified anesthesiologist, MUA certified MD/DO, MUA certified Doctor of Chiropractic, and skilled nursing staff assist in the MUA procedure.