CENTER FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT AT STONY BROOK

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Introducing mild: A therapeutic solution to your back pain

Do you experience pain in your back and legs?

If it's a dull, aching pain in your back that spreads to your legs when you're up and around, it could be an early indication of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).

If these symptoms sound familiar, you're not alone. Many people suffer from chronic back pain and reduced mobility brought on by LSS, which is the result of nerve pressure caused by a degenerative narrowing of the lower spinal canal. The number of LSS patients continues to grow and is expected to increase by 18 million over the next 10 years as the Baby Boomer generation ages.

LSS is an age-related condition that can lead to numbness in the legs or a "pins and needles" sensation. Walking or standing can make it feel even worse. Temporary relief is often found by lying down, elevating the feet, or bending forward while walking. Standing and bending backwards can worsen the symptoms because space in the spinal canal becomes decreased. Bending forward increases the space, which makes sitting or leaning forward more comfortable.

What causes lumbar spinal stenosis?

Your spine supports the back and body while protecting the bundle of nerves called the spinal cord, which is enclosed in a bony channel called the spinal canal. Normally there is enough space to allow the nerves to flow freely through the canal.

As we get older, however, the ligaments and bones outside the spinal canal can thicken and narrow the channel, pinching the nerves. This condition is called spinal stenosis. When it occurs in the lower part of the spine, it's called lumbar spinal stenosis and can cause pain, numbness and disability.

How is LSS diagnosed?

Doctors use a variety of methods to rule out other conditions that can produce symptoms similar to lumbar spinal stenosis. You'll be asked to describe your history of symptoms, whether they've changed, as well as any treatments or medications you've tried.

The doctor will likely check for pain, movement limitations in the spine, as well as balance problems. Expect the doctor to also check for abnormality or loss of reflexes, muscle weakness, and sensory loss.

Various tests may be used to confirm the doctor's diagnosis, such as an X-ray, MRI, CAT Scan or Myelogram.

Introducing a new treatment option.

Traditional pain medications for lumbar spinal stenosis may not address the cause of the symptoms and can lose effectiveness over time. However, on the other end of the treatment spectrum, not everyone is a candidate for major back surgery.

Now there's a new method for treating LSS that doesn't require open spine surgery. This new procedure is called mild. It's the least invasive surgical procedure to treat LSS patients, and many report immediate relief.

How mild works.

Typically performed using a local anesthetic with light sedation, mild is a new image-guided procedure that allows your physician to locate and remove only the small portions of tissue and bone that pinch your spinal nerves andcause pain. mild devices are specially designed, keeping in mind your safety during treatment. The procedure requires only a minimal point of entry through a portal no larger than the diameter of a pencil.

The entire mild procedure takes approximately one hour under awake sedation with a local anesthetic. Most patients come home the very same day. Unlike major spine surgery, mild patients generally return to their typical routine within a few days. Rehabilitation is also much faster and easier with mild versus an open surgical procedure.

Clinical studies have proven mild to be a safe, low-risk treatment with no reported major complications. mild patients are not hindered from receiving additional surgery in the future should it be deemed necessary. Even patients who ultimately need further back surgery are often healthier following the mild procedure because of the increased mobility and physical activity it allows.

Contact our office today to schedule an evaluation and find out whether you may be a candidate for mild.

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