Injections falling short? Advanced Spine and Pain Specialists moves beyond epidural steroid injections (ESIs) to offer the gold standard of care for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients. New data where study researchers compared the medical records of participants who had received either just one or no steroid injection prior to the mild® Procedure, to participants who received two or more epidural steroid injections prior to mild®. Similar outcomes in both treatment groups in this study proved that giving more than one ESI prior to the mild® Procedure did not improve how well patients did and may have delayed patient care. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that the standard treatment process for LSS patients be changed to give the mild® Procedure either as soon as LSS is diagnosed or after the failure of the first ESI.
What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS)?
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a condition in which the lower spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal nerves in the lower back. It is best visualized as a “kink in a drinking straw,” this compression can contribute to pain and mobility issues. Over two million LSS patients nationwide are diagnosed and treated annually and is generally found in people over the age of 50. The likelihood of developing LSS increases with age.
What are the symptoms of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS)?
- Pain or numbness in the lower back when standing upright
- Pain, numbness, heaviness or tingling in upper legs or buttocks when walking
- Pain when lying down that may be relieved by curling into the fetal position
- Temporary relief when bending forward while sitting or standing as pressure on the spinal cord is released and space in the spinal canal is “opened”
- Common actions include finding a chair, leaning over shopping cart, using walker or cane
How is the MILD® procedure performed?
