Spine and Pain
Management Procedures

Manipulation Under Anesthesia

Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is a non-invasive procedure increasingly offered for acute and chronic conditions, including: neck pain, back pain, joint pain, muscle spasm, shortened muscles, fibrous adhesions and long term pain syndromes. It is generally considered safe and is utilized to treat pain arising from the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine as well as the sacroiliac and pelvic regions. MUA uses a combination of specific short lever spinal manipulations, passive stretches and specific articular and postural kinesthetic maneuvers in order to break up fibrous adhesions and scar tissue around the spine and surrounding tissue.

The manipulation procedures can be offered in any of the following ways:

• Under general anesthesia
• During mild sedation
• Following the injection of anesthetic solutions into specific tissues of the spine.

Manipulation Under Anesthesia & Anesthesia Video: Non-invasive Procedure for Long-term Chronic and Back Pain Relief

Manipulation Under Anesthesia Procedure

The treatment is performed in a hospital or surgery center by licensed physicians with specialized training and certification specifically for the procedure. A team approach is required to have a safe and successful outcome.

The team includes the anesthesiologist, the prime physician/surgeon/ chiropractor who performs the manipulation, and the first assistant, also a physician/chiropractor certified in manipulation under anesthesia. The procedure is commonly performed in a hospital or surgical center.

The combination of manipulation and anesthesia is not new, as this treatment has been part of the manual medical arena for more than 60 years. Manipulation Under Anesthesia is an established medical procedure with a CPT Code designate of 22505. This is noted in the American Medical Association’s Current Procedural Terminology Publication.

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