Manipulation under anesthesia: a report of four cases

Area of Science:

• Chiropractic Medicine
• Pain Management
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Chronic spinal, sacroiliac, pelvic, and low back pain significantly impacts quality of life.
• Conservative medical and chiropractic treatments are not always effective for chronic pain.
• Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is a therapeutic option for specific musculoskeletal conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) in four patients with chronic pain.
• To assess the effectiveness of MUA combined with a post-procedure myofascial release program.

Main Methods:

• Four patients with chronic pain unresponsive to conservative care underwent MUA over three consecutive days.
• A subsequent 8-week in-office program included articular and myofascial release with physiotherapy.
• Outcomes measured included passive range of motion, visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, and examination findings.

Main Results:

• All patients experienced increased passive range of motion post-MUA.
• Visual analog scale pain ratings decreased significantly in all participants.
• Frequency of subsequent treatment visits was reduced for all patients.

Conclusions:

• Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) effectively restored articular and myofascial movements in these patients.
• MUA is a viable treatment for chronic pain when conservative chiropractic adjustments and adjunctive techniques fail.
• This approach offers a potential solution for patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain.