Back pain is a potentially debilitating problem stemming from various conditions, including spinal stenosis. If you're living with spinal stenosis, physical therapy and injections may only work for so long until you no longer get relief.
People living with intractable symptoms from spinal stenosis can benefit from the cutting-edge MILD® procedure. At Delmarva Pain and Spine Center in Newark, Delaware, Dr. Shachi Patel offers a range of pain management techniques, including the MILD procedure.
Dr. Patel is an experienced pain management specialist and anesthesiologist providing the MILD procedure along with epidural steroid injections and radiofrequency ablation for back problems.
Spinal stenosis is a back problem that occurs when something narrows the spinal canal, compressing nerves and the spinal cord. It typically causes nerve problems that lead to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the legs or arms.
Most people with spinal stenosis are over 50. Still, it can also affect those with back injuries, congenital narrowing of the spine, or normal wear-and-tear. Bone spurs and degenerative changes also cause spinal stenosis.
Unfortunately, we can't cure spinal stenosis; however, we can address its symptoms through various treatments. Physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and lifestyle changes all help with spinal stenosis, but they're not always enough for severe pain.
If you're struggling with spinal stenosis symptoms and other treatments aren't helping, we recommend the MILD procedure for long-term relief.
The MILD procedure, which stands for Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression, is an outpatient procedure. You can go home the same day after an about an hour-long procedure and some time in the recovery unit.
During the MILD procedure, we use specialized tools to remove the thickened ligaments that are compressing the spinal nerves. We can also remove small pieces of bone that are contributing to the narrowing of the spinal canal.
The incision is tiny but allows us to open up space within the spinal canal to relieve symptoms of spinal stenosis. It's a great alternative to open spine surgery, with fantastic results.
Patients undergoing the MILD procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis have very successful results. The National Library of Medicine reports that success rates after MILD range from 57.1% to 88%, which is astounding.
The same article also reports that one study showed that the MILD procedure was more successful for spinal stenosis than epidural steroid injections, because it fixes the issue causing nerve pressure.
If you're living with lumbar spinal stenosis, you should consider the MILD procedure for many reasons. It's highly successful and offers myriad benefits for your spine health. A few of the significant advantages of the MILD procedure include:
Another benefit of the procedure is that it preserves the spine's structure, unlike some other surgical procedures. Overall, it's a safe and effective way to eliminate symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis that don't resolve with other therapies.
To learn more about the MILD procedure for LSS, call our Newark, Delaware, office to schedule an appointment or request a consultation with Dr. Patel on our website.
