| What
to Expect With Spinal Manipulation Under Anesthesia |
| Once
a patient is selected by the chiropractor using standards
of care as described by the National Academy of MUA Physicians,
the typical MUA treatment plan begins with a medical screening
process to clear the patient for anesthesia. Medical tests
usually will include: |
|
|
CBC
blood studies |
|
|
SMA
6 |
|
|
Chest
X-ray and EKG, or electrocardiogram, for patients age
50 and older |
|
|
A
pregnancy test for female M.U.A. patients |
|
|
| Your
chiropractor may also order additional tests, such as MRI,
or magnet resonance imaging, CT, or cat scans, and other diagnostic
tests, if needed. After receiving medical clearance, the patient
is scheduled at the facility where the M.U.A. will be performed. |
| What
is the procedure like? |
| On
the day of the M.U.A., the patient must be accompanied by
a friend or family member to drive the patient home afterwards. |
|
M.U.A. is not an invasive surgery. It is simply spinal manipulation
and mobilization performed in an operating room environment.
It is somewhat similar to what is done in the chiropractor's
office, but with the added aid of anesthesia. The actual adjustments
are very gentle. |
| An
intravenous catheter is inserted in the patient's arm and
a small amount of anesthesia is administered by a qualified
anesthesiologist. The procedure usually lasts less than 15
minutes. |
|
After the patient has fallen asleep, the muscles affecting
spinal function are stretched and the dysfunctional areas
of the spine are manipulated. The patient wakes up quickly
thereafter and is monitored by qualified personnel until the
patient is ready to be discharged. |
| In
some cases, the procedure is repeated over 2, 3, and occasionally
4 days. Most M.U.A.'s are performed over three consecutive
days. A series of M.U.A.'s has proven to be much more thorough
and effective in the majority of cases. |
| Post-procedure
care |
| Post-procedure
care is one of the most important parts of the M.U.A. procedure
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,
cryo-therapy and electrical stimulation to eliminate or reduce
soreness. The patient then returns home to rest. |
| After
the last M.U.A. procedure, the patient should follow an intensive
therapy program for seven to ten days consisting of the same
stretches accomplished during the procedure and adjustments
made in the doctor's office. |
| Rehabilitation
for the next two or three weeks includes stretching, flexibility
and strengthening exercises, plus periodic adjustment as required
by the doctor. This regimented post-M.U.A. therapy will help
the patient regain pre-injury strength and help prevent future
pain and disability. |
