MILD

Relieving nerve compression can eliminate lower back pain or reduce it to a manageable level. It also improves function so that you can enjoy a more active life. Commonwealth Pain and Spine offers minimally invasive lumbar decompression (mild®) to reduce nerve compression without surgery at their offices across Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Call your nearest office today or schedule a consultation online to see how mild can ease your lower back pain.

What is mild?

Mild is a minimally invasive procedure used to reduce back pain. During the procedure, your doctor removes small pieces of the spinal bone (vertebra) and/or ligaments. This relieves pressure on the spinal nerve roots.

Mild uses tiny incisions. They’re so small that you won’t need sutures or staples to seal the wounds. Mild doesn’t require a general anesthetic, reducing your risk of complications and shortening your recovery. Most patients resume their regular activities within 24 hours.

Why might I need mild?

The Commonwealth Pain and Spine team might recommend mild for lower back pain that doesn’t improve with other treatments. The most common problem mild treats is spinal stenosis, narrowing of the spinal canal. Spinal stenosis can be caused by:

• Arthritis
• Bone spurs
• Thickened ligaments
• Herniated discs
• Degenerative disc disease

Discs are spongy pads between the vertebrae that cushion and stabilize your spine. Over time, the discs lose their water content, getting harder and flatter. This changes the spine’s alignment, increasing your risk of herniation (the disc’s soft inside leaks through a tear in the outer shell).

Osteoarthritis is another age-related condition caused by years of wear-and-tear. Bone spurs develop, and ligaments thicken in response. These changes reduce the space within your spinal canal, causing stenosis.

Some people with spinal stenosis experience no symptoms. But if the narrowing puts pressure on nerve roots, it causes pain, weakness, and numbness that spreads into the legs. In severe cases, spinal stenosis makes standing and walking difficult.

Many patients respond well to the conservative treatments Commonwealth Pain and Spine offers. Physical therapy and medication are often highly effective. Epidural steroid injections can help in stubborn cases. If your symptoms continue despite treatment, mild provides an excellent alternative to surgery.

What happens when I undergo mild?

Mild is an outpatient procedure; you can go home right after your treatment. You receive a local anesthetic to numb the area, and then your doctor makes tiny incisions in your back. They use special instruments to extract the bone or tissue that’s compressing your spinal nerves. This increases the space in your spinal canal, relieving compression.

Mild is far less invasive than spinal surgery. You’ll experience less pain, minimal scarring, and faster healing.

Call Commonwealth Pain and Spine today or book an appointment online to see if mild can reduce or eliminate your lower back pain.

 

Notes: Minimally invasive lumbar decompression