Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA) is a procedure that is intended for patients that suffer from sometimes acute, but mostly chronic musculoskeletal disorders in conjunction with biomechanical aberrancies. These individuals have also been unresponsive to previous conservative therapy. Etiology of their pain can be disc bulge/herniation, chronic sprain/strain, failed back surgery, myofacial pain syndromes in conjunction with those listed below. The procedure is extremely beneficial for the patient that has muscle spasm accompanied with pain and terminal joint range of motion loss. These types of patients typically respond well to manipulation/physical therapy/exercise, but their relief may only be temporary (days to weeks). To ensure good results with a procedure of this type, one of the most important considerations is patient selection.

Indications for MUA:

• Bulging, protruded, prolapsed or herniated discs without free fragment and are not surgical candidates.
  Frozen or fixated articulations from adhesion formation.
  
• Failed low back surgery.
  
• Compression syndromes with or without radiculopathies caused from adhesion formation, but not associated with osteophytic entrapment.
  
• Restricted motion which causes pain and apprehension from the patient, but manipulation is the therapy of choice.
  
• Unresponsive to manipulation and adjustment when they are the treatment of choice.
  
• Unresponsive pain which interferes with the function of daily living and sleep patterns, but which fall within the parameters for manipulative treatment.
  
• Unresponsive muscle contracture which is preventing normal daily activities and function.
  
• Post traumatic syndrome injuries from acceleration/deceleration or acceleration/deceleration types of injuries which result in painful exacerbations of chronic fixations.
  
• Chronic recurrent neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction syndromes which result in a regular periodic treatment series that are always exacerbations of the same condition.
  
• Neuromusculoskeletal conditions which are not surgical candidates, but have reached MMI (maximum medical improvement), especially with occupational injuries.

  Benefits of MUA 
  Effective MUA treatment provides powerful results:
  Breaks up scar tissue and adhesions surrounding the spinal joints commonly caused by injuries or previous back surgeries.
  Decrease chronic muscle spasms
  Relaxes you for more effective treatment of even sensitive injured areas
  Stretches persistent shortened muscles, tendons and ligaments
  Relieves pain from damaged intervertebral disks

  What’s the Importance of Anesthesia 
  When your injured or in pain, it’s often difficult for your physician to manipulate the injured area without causing you significant pain. But that’s not the only crucial reason for sedation, which also aids your treatment by:
  Blocking the nerves that perceive pain for more comfortable treatment
  Stopping muscle spasm cycles so your physician can manipulate your anatomy for more effective treatment
  Completely relaxing the muscles, allowing your physician to break up scar tissue and adhesions and stretch shortened muscle groups

  For more information to see if you are a candidate for MUA therapy please contact our Summit or Newark offices. Our doctors would be more than happy to answer your questions and schedule you for a complimentary consultation.