Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA)

Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is a bloodless, minimally invasive procedure done in an outpatient surgical center under general anesthesia. This procedure involves two chiropractors, an anesthesiologist and a registered nurse to assist the anesthesiologist. This procedure lasts about 20 minutes and involves a very strict protocol of stretching and manipulation designed to address scar tissue and adhesions that has been unsuccessfully treated with standard chiropractic care and can be eliminated no other way. The protocol calls for 3 treatments on three consecutive days.

The origins of MUA date back some 40+ years ago. One of the main chiropractic malpractice insurance carriers has been insuring doctors doing this procedure since 1965. As a measure of the safety of this procedure, this malpractice carrier does not charge an additional premium for adding this coverage to an existing policy. Currently, some 30,000 MUAs are done by chiropractors in the US annually.

When the patients are properly selected, response rates are greater than 90%. Since the anesthetic used is fast acting, patients usually wake up without a groggy feeling and without pain for the first time.

A MUA candidate has gone through a course of conservative care without relief. Conditions range from low back back to lumbar and cervical disc herniations to chronic headaches to failed back surgery cases. For more detailed information, please call the office or visit Manipulation under anesthesia for treatment of pain

North American Spine Society-Technical Assessment: Medication Assisted Spinal Manipulation

The procedure is best explained by one patient's experience:

"Prior to my MUA, I was in constant nagging pain in my neck, right shoulder and arm. I was not able to sleep more than three hours at a time before I had to get up because of the pain. I was doing at-home cervical traction once every hour and a half whenever I was home. I couldn't leave home very often or for any length of time because of the pain, except for work.

Since the MUA, I have been almost pain free. I can sleep through the night. I have not needed to use the home traction unit at all and have even gone so far as to store it in the closet. My daughter no longer has to rub pain relief creme on my shoulder every night or before I go to work in order for me to make it through the day. I can't believe the difference it has made.

As for the procedure itself, I was scared going in the first day. Even though Dr. Bogash explained what was going to happen, it was still a little unnerving to be put under anesthesia the first time. However, between the staff and doctors there is became a very comfortable and actually enjoyable experience. My only regret is not being able to have this done months ago when Dr. Bogash first mentioned the procedure."

Dr. James Bogash, D.C.
1830 S. Alma School Rd, Bldg 7, Ste 135, Mesa, AZ 85210
(Alma School Road, just south of the Superstition Freeway/Highway 60)
Chiropractic Health Care for Chandler, Mesa and Tempe Arizona
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