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Manipulation Under Anesthesia FAQ

Manipulation under anesthesia, also called MUA, is a type of manipulative technique that is performed by a chiropractor that is non-invasive. It is meant to offer relief from chronic pain that has not responded to other forms of non-surgical treatment.

Our team at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel explains further.

#1. What is MUA Used For?

Manipulation Under Anesthesia focuses on breaking up internal scar tissue that may have been left over from a surgery or injury, resulting in restored movement and reduced pain.

MUA can be used to treat the:

• Back
• Neck
• Shoulders
• Joints
• Muscle spasms

When a patient undergoes MUA, they are sedated, the same way they might be during a colonoscopy or a tooth extraction. This type of sedation allows a chiropractor to adjust the joints and bones and align the muscles without any resistance.

Less force is applied during MUA, making it a painless and often quite effective treatment for chronic pain.

#2. Who Performs MUA?

MUA is done by trained and certified doctors who work in chiropractic medicine, osteopathy, orthopedics, or rehabilitation. It is considered a subspecialty, which means that it is not available in every chiropractic office. 

#3. How is MUA Done?

Manipulation under anesthesia is typically done in a hospital. The anesthesia is given by a licensed anesthesiologist. The patient is sedated, but not unconscious during treatment.

Once the patient is sedated, a chiropractor will begin to use different techniques on the part of the body with chronic pain.

The treatment usually takes between 15 and 40 minutes, and the patient will slowly regain awareness and will be monitored for a brief time afterward. They can return home the same day.

Immediately noticeable will be an improvement in range of motion and pain, but localized soreness is common and can be treated with ice, heat, or OTC medication. A chiropractor may also recommend physical therapy or cryotherapy. 

In general, a patient should have about 2-4 MUA treatments for the best results.

#4. What Are the Benefits of MUA?

Many people experiencing shoulder, neck, or back pain often respond well to manual, manipulation, exercise, and rehabilitation. But some may find that their relief is short-lived and limited to a few days or weeks. This is where MUA could be a great option. 

The benefits of MUA include:

• It is a safer treatment than surgery
• It is cost effective
• It is non-evasive
• It is covered by most insurance and workers’ compensation

#5. Is MUA Right for You?

Before scheduling you for MUA treatment, your chiropractor will assess your medical history, symptoms, and history of chiropractic care. 

A physical evaluation and neurological exam may also be conducted, as well as other tests.

Patients who have been diagnosed with the following conditions may be suited for treatment with MUA:

• Chronic strains or sprains
• Chronic disc pain
• Acute muscle spasms
• Failed back surgery
• Loss of movement
• Chronic shoulder, neck, or back pain
• Fibrous adhesions
• Fibromyalgia
• Pinched nerve

We do not recommend MUA for:

• Cancer
• Acute inflammatory gout
• Bone fractures
• Obesity
• Bone infections
• Inflammatory arthritis
• Severe osteoporosis
• Compression of the spinal cord

Further, patients who are taking specific types of medication or cannot be sedated are not eligible for MUA.

This is not an exhaustive list of who can and cannot be treated with MUA. Consult with your chiropractor to see if MUA is a fit for you.

#6. Is Manipulation Under Anesthesia Safe?

It has been proven that MUA is safe and effective for those experiencing chronic pain, especially if they have not experienced relief from standard treatments.

#7. Do You Feel Pain During MUA?

You will not feel any pain at all during the procedure, since you will be under anesthesia, but you may feel sore for a few days afterward.

Say Goodbye to Pain with MUA

If you are suffering from chronic pain and traditional treatments have not helped, you may be a candidate for manipulation under anesthesia at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel.

Call our chiropractors today to see if you are a candidate for MUA at (813) 953-1002!

Common Car Crash Injuries That Aren’t Obvious

If you have been involved in a car accident, you are likely dealing with insurance claims, car repairs, and psychological stress that even a minor accident can cause.

But what you might not know is that you may have hidden injuries that aren’t obvious at first, which is why it is important to visit a doctor as soon as possible after an accident.

Our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills explains further.

Common Car Crash Injuries That Aren’t Obvious

Here are some of the most common car crash injuries that aren’t obvious right after a crash.

#1. Whiplash

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries during a car accident. Whiplash is a neck injury that is caused by the forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip. This often occurs when a car collides with something and then stops suddenly.

The symptoms of whiplash include:

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Worsening of pain with neck movement
• Loss of range of motion in the neck
• Headaches that often start at the base of the skull
• Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back, or arms
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Without proper treatment, the effects of whiplash can be felt for weeks, months, or even years after the car accident.

#2. Concussions

Another common and dangerous injury that can be caused by a car crash is a concussion. When you get a concussion, you may not experience the symptoms right away, which can cause complications in treatment and recovery. 

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head during a car accident. It is important to note that you can have a concussion without losing consciousness and symptoms can be delayed.

Symptoms of a concussion include:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Inability to remember the car crash
• Nausea
• Ringing in your ears
• Dizziness
• Fatigue

Remember, since the symptoms of a concussion are often delayed, it is important to seek medical attention ASAP after an accident, even if you don’t think you have been injured.

#3. Back or Spine Injuries

Injuries to your spine, even serious ones, are not always obvious right away. If you have been in a serious accident or even a minor incident but you have sustained trauma to your neck or head, it is best to assume that you may have a spinal injury.

Swelling and bleeding in or around your spinal cord can cause numbness or paralysis, so it is critical to get treatment immediately after an accident.

Less serious, but still of concern, is a slow-to-develop back injury. Just as the muscles of your neck can be strained due to the impact of a car crash, so can the muscles in your back. You may not realize that you have sore muscles or pain until a day or two after the crash. 

#4. Soft Tissue Injuries and Sprains

You may not think that your knees, ankles, or feet would get injured in a car accident, but it is quite common. Just like the tissues in your neck and back, these kinds of injuries might not hurt right away and may take a few days to manifest. Shoulder, wrist, and elbow injuries are also quite common.

If you develop any kind of pain in the days after your accident, seek treatment immediately. Your pain could be related to injuries sustained during the accident.

#5. Internal Injuries

Just as serious spinal cord injuries manifest slowly, so can internal injuries like internal bleeding. This may not be immediately obvious following the crash, which is why it is crucial to seek treatment in the days following an accident.

#6. Emotional Trauma

Many car accident victims may experience varying levels of emotional distress or trauma after an accident. PTSD, depression, and anxiety are common following an accident.

Psychological injuries can cause changes in a person’s sleeping patterns, moods, appetite, memory, and more. Sadly, these ailments are hard to diagnose, especially if the victims of crashes have sustained other injuries that affect their cognitive function, such as a traumatic brain injury.

Post-Accident Treatment

If you have been in a car accident, do not hesitate to reach out to our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills for a post-accident check-up and care. We will ensure that all your injuries are treated with compassion so you can begin the journey to recovery.

Call us to schedule an appointment with our car crash physicians today: (813) 706-5156!

Can Hormonal Imbalances Cause Weight Gain?

Regardless of your gender, hormones are a natural part of everyone’s body. Your endocrine glands create and distribute them in order to send signals throughout your entire system as cues for your growth, metabolism, mood, and so on. But what happens when your hormones become imbalanced? The experts at Impact Medical Clearwater will teach you the causes and signs of hormonal imbalance and what you can do to help keep it in check.

The Causes of Hormone Imbalances

Since hormones affect your mood and metabolism, it makes sense as to why you may notice some sudden weight gain. Your metabolism is what converts food into energy, and so you tend to hang on to more fat when it’s not functioning properly. In combination with a lower metabolism, poor moods can cause you to eat more even when your body isn’t able to keep up. Here are a few causes of this vicious cycle:

• Hypothyroidism occurs when your body is lacking thyroid hormones which are meant to provide enough energy to keep your organs functioning.
• Cushing’s Syndrome happens when your body produces or takes in too much cortisol which can, in turn, affect your organs and body tissue.
• Menopause typically occurs in older women as their estrogen hormone level declines to the point where it completely halts the menstruation cycle.
• Aging in general can lead to hormonal imbalances and other troublesome symptoms.

Signs of a Hormonal Imbalance

How do you know when you’re experiencing a case of hormonal imbalance? There are many unpleasant symptoms that are hard to ignore, with weight gain being one of the most persistent. More importantly, hormone imbalances often come with a number of other related symptoms which can affect your overall weight. Some of these other symptoms that can cause you to gain weight include:

• Depression
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Irregular periods
• Low performance

If you’re experiencing weight gain, it could very well be one (or few) of the many symptoms associated with hormone imbalance. Luckily, there are methods to regulating your hormone levels so you can get back into promoting a healthier body and lose a good amount of the weight you may have gained.

How Hormone Optimization Therapy Can Help

One of the safest ways to regulate your hormones is through hormone optimization therapy where a medical professional performs certain procedures to restore your levels to more ideal and manageable ranges. This can be done through the introduction of bio-identical hormones into the body to restore what may be missing. Since bio-identical hormones are practically identical to naturally-occuring hormones, your body will react to them in a safe manner. However, it’s crucial to have the procedure done by a trained, experienced, and licensed professional.

Visit a Hormone Optimization Specialist in Clearwater

At Impact Medical Clearwater, our staff has the knowledge and expertise to assist you with balancing out your hormones with the help of bio-identical hormones. Call our office today at (727) 292-0200 to schedule an appointment and get back to having a healthier body!

7 Benefits of Chiropractic Manual Therapy After an Accident

The human body goes through many injuries and changes after being impacted by a car crash. Manual therapy through chiropractic care can relieve many of the symptoms that you may feel after the fact, but what does manual therapy entail, and how exactly does it benefit you after an accident? The professional chiropractors at Impact Medical Brandon are here to inform you.

What Is Manual Therapy?

Chiropractic care involves a great many techniques in order to effectively treat your unique injuries, with manual therapy being one of the methods proven to benefit individuals who have suffered an automotive accident. Manual therapy specifically targets your muscles and tendons in the affected area and coaxes them into entering a relaxed state. This action can assist you in several ways, including:

Lessening Pain and Inflammation

One of the most prominent symptoms after an accident involves persistent pain and discomfort from inflamed muscles and tendons. Since manual therapy is all about relaxing the body, it can promote better blood flow so that your body can function better and experience reduced inflammation.

Encouraging Flexibility

Relaxing your muscles also means a better range of motion and thus increased flexibility. After just a few manual therapy sessions, you will be able to move your body with little to no restrictions just as you did before the accident.

Providing Relief Without Medication

While some people have no issues taking medications to help their symptoms, other people would rather look for other alternatives. Whether it be due to personal beliefs, medication allergies, or conflicts with existing medications, taking medicine to cure your post-accident symptoms may be out of the question. Manual therapy provides a means of relief through completely natural means.

Preventing Permanent Scarring

The various methods involved with manual therapy allow your body to be able to break down any existing scar tissue before it can settle down and form permanent scarring. These scars could take years to heal otherwise, if at all.

Reducing Psychological Effects

It’s common for people to experience a great deal of stress and anxiety after enduring an accident. It can be difficult to sleep or perform your daily tasks when the details of the accident are at the forefront of your mind or for fear of getting into another accident. In this case, manual therapy has been proven to manage stress and anxiety for a better night’s sleep.

Promoting A Speedy Recovery

Since manual therapy is effective in loosening up the body for better blood flow, oxygenated blood can travel to the areas of your body that need attention faster than usual. For this reason, it is crucial to visit your chiropractor sooner than later.

Being An All-Encompassing Treatment

Most accident injuries sound similar on the surface, but there are a number of symptoms that your body can experience. Thankfully, manual therapy can help with many common injuries such as whiplash, spinal cord injuries, lower back pain, knee injuries, and concussions.

Schedule Your Manual Therapy with Impact Medical Brandon!

Call Impact Medical Brandon at (813) 522-8885 any time you’ve gotten into an accident so we can schedule an examination and start treating you with manual therapy. Our professionals are the best in the business so you’re sure to experience a swift recovery!