Pain Manipulation Under Anesthesia
Synopsis and Key Points:
Manipulation Under Anesthesia is a medical procedure helping chronic pain patients.
For chronic pain sufferers who have exhausted all forms of conservative treatment from physical therapy to chiropractic to pain medications or even acupuncture, there is a medical procedure that is non-invasive, safe, effective, and non-surgical.
In fact, those chronic pain sufferers who have had a failed surgery or have been told they need surgery, have hope!
Manipulation Under Anesthesia, or, MUA, is a medical procedure that is helping those chronic pain patients who thought that they had reached the end of the rope with regard to finding pain relief.
So what is Manipulation Under Anesthesia
Dr. Anthony Abbruzzese explains that Manipulation Under Anesthesia, or MUA, is a highly specialized, non-invasive stretching technique for chronic pain patients who are no longer responding to regular conservative care. MUA works by altering adhesion's and scar tissues to restore range of motion and mobility while the patient is in a safe, temporary "twilight sleep." As an alternative therapy to surgery or other procedures, MUA consistently generates life-changing results for carefully selected patients.
Manipulation Under Anesthesia procedures are performed in ambulatory surgery centers or hospitals. A team of medical professionals perform this procedure; RN, medical anesthesiologist (MD or DO), primary MD / DO DC, and a secondary MD / DO / DC.
Manipulation Under Anesthesia is very similar to what takes place in the chiropractor's office, with the added assistance of anesthesia and a team of medical physicians and nurses. An intravenous catheter is inserted into the patient's arm and a small amount of anesthesia is administered by a qualified anesthesiologist. the procedure lasts less than 20 minutes. Dr. Anthony Abbruzzese states that "While the patient is asleep, the muscles affecting spinal dysfunction are stretched and the spinal joints that are "locked" and painful are manipulated. The patient wakes up quickly thereafter and is monitored by the nursing staff. The procedure is performed on three consecutive days and occasionally four.
Post Procedure care is one of the most important parts of the MUA procedures and makes it truly effective. The therapy begins immediately - the same day. At this time, the patient visits the chiropractor's office and undergoes a combination of stretching exercises, cryotherapy and electrical stimulation to eliminate soreness and promote healing. The patient then returns home to rest.
After the last MUA procedure, the patient should follow an intensive therapy program for several weeks consisting of the same stretches and manipulations accomplished during the procedure. Rehabilitation for the next several weeks includes stretching, flexibility and strengthening exercises, plus periodic manipulations as required by the doctor. This regimented post- MUA therapy will help the patient regain pre-injury strength and help prevent future pain and disability.