Chiropractic Manipulation Under Anesthesia

Chiropractic manipulation under anesthesia, also known as M.U.A is a non-invasive stretching and musculoskeletal manipulation technique. This type of chiropractic treatment can offer relief from chronic and constant back pain and other types of pain that have not responded well or at all to conservative non-surgical care. Chiropractic manipulation under anesthesia breaks up adhesions/internal scar tissue that could result from an injury or previous surgery, helping restore the normal range of motion and reduce pain. This technique is utilized to treat:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Joint pain
• Muscle spasms
• Long-lasting pain syndromes

Adhesions can grow around:

• Spinal joints
• Nerve roots
• Inside the surrounding muscles

This can result in restricted:

• Movement
• Limited flexibility
• Pain

Undergoing chiropractic manipulation under anesthesia while sedated means the body is highly relaxed. This sedation allows the chiropractor to align the bones and joints and stretch the muscles without the individual’s voluntary/reflexive resistance. And the sedation allows the chiropractor to use less force, making the procedure painless.

Manipulation Under Anesthesia Specialists

This type of manipulation is a specialty procedure. Trained and certified physicians only perform it in the fields of:

• Chiropractic medicine
• Orthopedics
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Osteopathy

Advantages of MUA treatment

Some individuals with pain respond well to regular chiropractic manipulation, physical therapy, or exercise. However, relief might only last for a few days or weeks, depending on their condition. This is where manipulation under anesthesia could improve the range of motion and relieve pain. Manipulation under anesthesia has been performed for more than sixty years. It can be cost-effective and safer than invasive treatment like spine surgery. It is recognized and covered by most insurance and workers’ compensation plans.

Determining if MUA is right for the individual and their condition

Manipulation under anesthesia is not for all individuals with back pain. MUA is only recommended for patients that meet the procedure’s criteria. Like any other type of recommended treatment, a doctor will carefully consider the individual’s medical history, symptoms, previous treatments, and effectiveness. A doctor will also perform a physical and neurological examination of an individual’s complete medical history. Test results will confirm the patient’s diagnosis and determine if anesthetic manipulation can help relieve pain and other symptoms. Tests can include:

• X-ray
• MRI
• CT scan
• Musculoskeletal sonograms use sound waves to produce images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints.
• EKG – electrocardiogram is a test that checks for problems with the heart’s electrical activity
• The nerve conduction velocity test sees how fast electrical signals move through the nerve/s
• Pregnancy test

Consideration for individuals with:

• Pinched or entrapped nerve
• Chronic/Persistent neck or back pain
• Painful, restricted range of motion
• Failed back surgery syndrome
• Chronic sprains and strains
• Acute muscle spasms
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic spinal disc conditions
• Fibrous adhesion/s

Not an appropriate treatment for individuals with:

• Uncontrolled diabetic neuropathy
• Spinal cord compression
• Morbid obesity
• Any cancer
• Acute or healing bone fracture/s
• Osteomyelitis vertebral bone infection
• Acute inflammatory arthritis
• Metastatic bone disease
• Severe osteoporosis
• Acute inflammatory gout
• Tuberculosis of the bone
• Co-existing medical problems could mean an individual may not be able to undergo any procedure that requires sedation.
• Another reason why a patient’s complete medical history is vital

Procedure

This procedure is usually performed in an ambulatory surgery center, which is a modern healthcare facility focused on providing same-day surgical care for diagnostic and preventive procedures, or at a hospital. An anesthesiologist administers the medicine/s. The patient could be sedated, not unconscious, or general anesthesia meaning complete unconsciousness. The choice of sedation depends on various factors, like the patient’s diagnosis and how severe the condition is. The anesthesiologist can recommend a specific type of medicine or a cocktail of medications for the patient’s comfort during and after.

Once sedated, the chiropractor utilizes specialized techniques to stretch, adjust and mobilize the affected areas of the spine and body. The manipulations free up fibrous adhesions or scar tissue in one or more areas of the spine and surrounding tissues. The procedure usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. The individual will be awakened and then carefully monitored in a recovery area. Many reports an immediate reduction in pain and a broader range of motion after the procedure. There is usually temporary muscle soreness, similar to the soreness after an intense workout.

Recommended aftercare

Before being discharged, the patient is provided instructions about aftercare therapy. Instructions may include:

• At-home warm-up movements
• Physical therapy rehabilitation
• Passive stretching
• Electrical stimulation
• Cryotherapy or cold therapy to reduce inflammation and pain

Sessions necessary

Depending on the diagnosis and response to the initial session, manipulation under anesthesia could be performed sequentially on consecutive days or two to four days. With each session, the chiropractor adjusts a little more, incrementally helping achieve the desired increase in movement and pain reduction/alleviation.

Physical therapy, exercise, and stretching

Individuals continue with physical therapy three to six weeks after the procedure to help prevent back pain from returning and any fibrous adhesions/scar tissue broken up from reforming. Exercise and stretching will help strengthen and stabilize the abdominal and spinal muscles and prevent pain from returning.

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InBody

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Malnutrition

Malnutrition is defined as a lack of uptake or intake of nutrition that can negatively affect body composition. An important nutrient that elderly individuals might not get enough of is protein. Trouble chewing, food costs, and trouble cooking are all factors that limit elderly individuals’ access to protein, which can lead to sarcopenia. These complications can affect how the body responds to diet and exercise.

That is because protein requirements for the elderly are usually higher than for younger individuals. This comes from age-related metabolism changes that include a decreased response to protein intake. This means that an older individual needs to consume more protein to achieve the same anabolic effect. Micronutrient deficiency is a lack of nutrients like minerals and vitamins. These support important bodily processes like cell regeneration, immune system function, and vision. A common example is iron and calcium deficiencies. This type of deficiency has the greatest impact on normal physiological functions in conjunction with protein-energy deficiency, as most micronutrients are acquired from food.

References

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Chiropractic+Manipulation+under+anesthesia