Is manipulation under anesthesia safe? What should I know about it?

Is manipulation under anesthesia safe? What should I know about it?

Chiropractor

Manipulation under anesthesia, also known as MUA, is a type of manipulative technique that is non invasive. It is performed by a chiropractor and meant to offer relief from chronic pain that has been responsive to other forms of non surgical care. MUA focuses on breaking up internal scar tissue that is leftover from an injury or surgery, and as a result, restores movement while reducing pain. MUA can be used to treat the back, neck, shoulders, and joints as well as muscle spasms.

When a patient is undergoing MUA, they are sedated. An example of the amount of sedation used might be the “twilight” state which is common in the sedation of a patient undergoing a colonoscopy or tooth extraction. This type of sedation allows the chiropractor to adjust the joints and bones, or stretch and align the muscles without any resistance to the treatment. Less force is applied during the procedure making it painless and often effective.

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

Benefits of MUA

Many patients experiencing back, neck, or shoulder pain respond well to manipulation, exercise, massage, and rehabilitation. Some of these patients will find that their relief is limited to a few days or weeks. In this case MUA could be an option. Benefits of manipulation under anesthesia include:

• It is safer than surgery
• It is cost effective
• It is covered by most insurance plans
• It is covered by most workers compensation

Is MUA Right for You

Before scheduling you for MUA treatment, a chiropractic doctor should assess your medical history, symptoms, and previous chiropractic care. A physical evaluation and neurological exam may be conducted to confirm a diagnosis. The following tests might also be ordered:

• MRI or CT scan
• X-ray
• Ultrasound
• EKG
• Nerve conduction velocity test
• Pregnancy test
• Blood test

Patients who have been diagnosed with the following might be suited to MUA:

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

MUA is not recommended for:

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

The aforementioned is not exhaustive. There are other conditions that could be treated with MUA, as well as those that should not be treated with it. Patients who are taking certain types of medication or cannot be sedated will also not be candidates for MUA.

How MUA is Performed

Manipulation under sedation is typically performed in a hospital. The anesthesia is given by an anesthesiologist. The patient will be sedated, but not unconscious. Various anesthesia could be given depending on the patient’s circumstances. Once the patient is sedated, the chiropractic doctor, like a chiropractor in Glen Burnie, MD, will begin to employ different techniques on the symptomatic part of the body. The entire procedure takes between 15 and 40 minutes. The patient slowly regains awareness and will be monitored for a brief period of time. He or she can return home on the same day. Typically noticeable improvements in range of motion and pain is immediately noticed. Localized muscle soreness is common and may be treated with herbal balms, ice, heat, or OTC medication. Physical therapy or cryotherapy might also be recommended.

In general, a patient will need between 2 and 4 MUA treatments. These are often done on consecutive days rather than at separate intervals.

Contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic for more information about chiropractic care.

Chiropractors

Americans suffer from headaches more than ever. Studies show that 9 out of 10 Americans suffer from some type of headache.  Only around 5% of headaches indicate that something else is physically wrong, while 95% of headaches are just that – headaches.

We sit more than we used to in the past due to most jobs involving sitting at a desk in front of a computer. Because of this, our posture becomes out of alignment and our joints and muscles tense up, causing our heads to ache.

Chiropractic care can help realign your spine to relax your muscles and calm any nerve pain. Here are some common headaches that can be helped by seeing a chiropractor.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common form of headaches and women are twice as likely to experience tension headaches. While tension headaches don’t prevent you from living your life or impact your vision or balance, they can be very uncomfortable.

These headaches can be cause by stress, not getting enough sleep, being hungry, and your posture. Because tension headaches are common and minor headaches, they should be treated non-medically if possible. Try adjusting your sleep habits, eating healthy meals, and taking time to relax throughout the day. If you’re still experiencing headaches, it may be a result of a misalignment of your spine and you should reach out to a chiropractor.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are short in duration and typically occur on one side of your head and face. They are extremely painful (they can be compared with the severity of migraines only shorter in duration) and can happen every day for up to months at a time. Cluster headaches are seasonal, but are not connected with allergies.

The cause of cluster headaches is still unclear, chiropractors do know that the headaches involve the trigeminal nerve in your face. Because these headaches concern nerve pain, you should reach out to a chiropractor for treatment. Nerve pain is sometimes caused by a misalignment with your spine. A chiropractor can properly align the region in your spine that is pressing on that nerve and can prevent future cluster headaches.

Migraines

Migraines are the most severe forms of headaches. They can last for hours and are debilitating, interrupting your daily activities. Symptoms include vomiting, temporary vision loss, and sensitivity to light and sound. The pain is so severe that many migraine sufferers have to shut themselves in a dark room until the headache has subsided.

Tension headaches and migraines have similar causes: stress, lack of sleep, muscle tension in the neck, diet, and dehydration. If you are suffering from migraines, make adjustments in these areas of your life before turning to any over-the-counter medication. Drink lots of water throughout the day, stretch, be aware of your posture, and get enough sleep.

If your migraines persist, reach out to a chiropractor. Chiropractors can make adjustments to your spine to help relieve any muscle tension in your neck that may be causing your migraines. After a few weeks of treatment, you should be able to feel a radical difference in the duration and occurrence of your migraines.

Seeing a headache doctor regularly can not only help treat any current headache troubles you currently have, but can also help prevent future headaches. Chiropractors can also recommend exercises you can do at home when you start feeling a headache coming on. Reach out to a chiropractor today to schedule a consultation.

Is It Safer to Drive Impaired By Marijuana Or Alcohol?

As my avid blog readers are already aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my clinic time treating patients who have been injured in Baltimore auto accidents. Typically these patients present with a constellation of symptoms inclusive of headaches, neck pain, back pain, radiating arm pain, and radiating leg pain. Recently I have seen an increase in the number of Baltimore auto accident injury patients presenting after having been involved in a motor vehicle collision with a drunk driver. I almost never see injury patients that have been injured as a result of a collision with a patient that is high on marijuana. So it made me wonder whether driving under the influence of one substance was “safer” than the other. As it turns out, research seems to indicate that it is less risky to drive while under the influence of marijuana as compared to alcohol. Now let me make one thing perfectly clear: the safest way to drive is clearly in a non-impaired state and not under the influence of any foreign substance. And I am in no way advocating that drivers choose to drive high or drunk. I am just taking a look at what statistics have shown about this subject because I found myself curious.

A 2011 collaborative study out of the University of Montana and the University of Colorado demonstrated that in states with legal medical marijuana, the number of traffic deaths have been reduced by almost 9 percent as compared to states where marijuana is not legal. This is about the same decrease in injury and death rate that was seen when the legal drinking age was raised from 18 to 21 several years ago.

Interestingly, there is no clear reason why there has been a decrease in the number of fatal auto accidents as a result of driving under the influence of marijuana. One supposition is that younger people, especially men, tend to choose consumption of marijuana over beer and alcohol in states where it is legal. The second consideration is that people who get high may stay at home and consume the foreign substance, as opposed to those who drink and need to drive to or from bars in order to do so. To be clear, no one knows exactly why this research seemed to indicate that it was “safer” to drive under the influence of marijuana as compared to alcohol, and it will be hard to figure out exactly why that it is the case.

Interestingly, statistics, when adjusted for factors such as age, race, and gender suggest that there’s little to no difference between driving stoned or sober when it comes to the risk of having a wreck according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Those who drive high tend to drive slower and focus on obeying traffic laws, whereas those who drive drunk tend to make worse decisions behind the wheel which leads to increased injury and crash risk.

Once again I feel the need to state that I am in no way advocating that anyone intentionally drives under the influence of any foreign substance such as alcohol or marijuana. My fiance and I drive these same roads with our friends and neighbors and we all need to do our part to drive safely to cut down on the risk of fatalities and injuries. It is always safer to call an uber, lyft, or taxi to help you get to where you are going than it is to drive under the influence of marijuana or alcohol.

If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident caused by a driver intoxicated by alcohol or marijuana please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help you begin the process of physical recovery.

Dr. Gulitz

Our New Clinic Is Open!

As my avid blog followers are aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor that spends the majority of my clinic time treating patients with headaches, neck pain and back pain in Baltimore. Typically these patients present for care after having been involved in a Baltimore auto accident, but that is certainly not always the case. For this blog post I decided that I want to share a bit of my professional history with everyone.

I began my career as a Chiropractor working for the Neck & Back Clinics in Las Vegas, NV. I worked as an associate chiropractor in that clinic for about three years and I have to say, I really enjoyed my experience there. I got to learn to see thousands of patients and I got to hone my clinical skills at a rate that far exceeded what I would have been able to do on my own in my own clinic. I also got to see “behind the curtain” as to how the clinic was owned and operated and I was intoxicated with it. However, in the three years that I worked there, I found myself not really enjoying the environment of Las Vegas. The weather was too warm, there was no baseball or football team to root for, and all of my family and friends were back on the east coast. I pledged to myself that I would move back to the east coast and find a city with a young and active population, great football, great baseball, and great healthcare for when I get older. I also wanted a community of an under-served hispanic population as I learned to speak Spanish. All across the board it became clear to me quickly that Baltimore would be my new home.

I moved to Baltimore in December of 2011 and quickly began scouting locations for my new clinic. I drove all around the city looking for good locations with great visibility and parking. I stumbled upon our current location at 2001 Eastern Avenue in Fells Point and I knew it was perfect the moment I saw it. I still remember the sign in the window “Will build to suit, call Vic” So I called Vic. I said “Vic, my name is Marc Gulitz. I am trying to open a Chiropractic clinic and I really like your space.” We met shortly thereafter and a deal was struck in less than thirty days. I still remember Vic asking me about my experience. He asked if I had ever owned my own business, or managed people, and I said no. But he believed in me because I believed in myself. Several months later the clinic was constructed and opened and we began serving the Baltimore community in Southeast Baltimore. The beginning was very slow as expected. I had no friends, no referral sources, and no history in the community. At the time there were two employees in the organization, me and a medical biller who has since been discharged. I remember my first patient who walked in the first day and I remember it like it was yesterday.

In the nearly four and a half years that followed my professional life has become a rocket ship. Each month the number of new patients we were able to help grew in the clinic. We just finished our best month ever in terms of new patients and total patient visits and we are pushing the edges on the number of patients that we can comfortably serve in Fells Point…So what better time to open a new clinic?

One of my many dreams has always been to own a series of clinics, not just one. The boss that I used to work for did that and I loved the pride that he had in building his infrastructure. When I asked him why he wanted to open so many clinics his response really resonated with me. He said that as much as he loves being a chiropractor and serving the population, he can help more people by opening more clinics than he can by his hands alone. And that response really stuck with me to the point where I agreed with him. If I can’t get another segment of the population to come to my clinic due to traffic pattern issues in Baltimore, then I owe it to the population of Baltimore to bring my brand of fast, casual, chiropractic care to them.

It is with great pride that I announce the grand opening of my second clinic, Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic in Northwest Baltimore starting tomorrow, Monday February 20, 2017. We are located on the corner of Park Heights Avenue and Fallstaff Road at 6810 Park Heights Avenue, Suite C4, Baltimore, MD 21215. We are going to provide the same great service at a new more accessible secondary location. We will still offer walk-in appointments, evening appointments, and digital x-rays on site. The phone number is the same that you’ve come to know over the years, 443-842-5500. Now we have a hosted phone system that can direct your telephone call to the office of your choice.

So if you are in Northwest Baltimore and are in need of chiropractic care for headaches, neck pain, or back pain, whether or not you have been involved in a Baltimore auto accident, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help you, as always!

Finally, I would like to say thank you to my fiance Kristin, my staff members, referral partners, doctors, lawyers, friends and family that have helped my dream continue to become a reality. There is no way we could have gotten here without everyone’s help and support.

Dr. Gulitz

Study Finds Millennials Atop List of Worst Drivers On The Road

As a Baltimore Chiropractor I spend the majority of my clinic time treating patients with headaches, neck pain, and back pain. My clinic has seen a sharp increase in the number of auto accident-related injuries as of late. Typically patients that have suffered Baltimore auto accident injuries present with acute post-traumatic headaches, neck pain with radiating arm pain, and occasionally, lower back pain with radiating leg pain. It is not unusual for someone to be sitting at a red light to get rear-ended at a high rate of speed. Some people are lucky enough to walk away from these auto accidents without injuries. Others are not as lucky and suffer a lot of pain and inconvenience in their lives as they attempt to rehab their injuries and return to their normal activities.

I find myself curious about cultural behaviors and how they impact the injuries and patients we see in my clinic. I came across an article from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. They conducted a survey to look at why the number of driving related fatalities reached over 35,000 in 2015, which reflected a 7 perfect increase year over year, the highest single year increase in nearly five decades. Many professionals suspect that distracted driving is largely to blame for this problem. Our Fells Point clinic is at the epicenter of young professional/millenial living. It comes as no surprise then, as a result, that we have been seeing a large uptick in the number of Baltimore auto accident related

The study found that drivers between the ages of 19-24 were most likely to behave in risky behaviors behind the wheel. They defined risky behaviors as speeding (greater than 10 mph over posted speed limits), running red lights, and texting/emailing while driving. The percentage of drivers per age group that participated in risky behavior are as follows

1. Drivers aged 19-24 (88.4 percent) [Millenials]
2. Drivers ages 25-39 (79.2 percent)
3. Drivers aged 40-59 (75.2 percent)
4. Drivers aged 16-18 (69.3 percent)
5. Drivers aged 75+ (69.1 percent)
6. Drivers aged 60-74 (67.3 percent)

Its interesting to note that even the “Safest” drivers participated in risky behaviors at a nearly 2/3 rate! That means for every car you drive past on the road 2 out of 3 of them are either likely to be speeding, running red lights, or texting while driving. Its no wonder why we are seeing such an alarming increase in the number of Baltimore auto accident injuries – no one is watching where they are driving!

The biggest take away from this study is that “some drivers ages 19-24 believe that their dangerous driving behavior is acceptable.” To me, its the same reason why people smoke cigarettes despite the fact that there are surgeon general warnings on the side of the package. Everyone understands that there is a risk but no one seems to think that the risk applies to them. We all think we are unique and special and that bad things only happen to other people. Unfortunately, this is not true and we all have to do our part to make the roads safer since we all share them.

What do you think of the results? Do you think they are accurate? Or what else do you think is causing the increase in number of auto accident injuries across the U.S. Feel free to comment below if you have some input.

If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident injury, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic. We now have two convenient locations in Baltimore City to help you recover from your injuries.

Dr. Gulitz