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Lumbar spinal stenosis, or LSS, is a narrowing of the spinal canal, which puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.

There are several common causes of LSS, including osteoarthritis, disc degeneration, and thickened ligaments. Generally related to the natural aging process, these conditions can all restrict space within the spinal canal and cause compression or pinching of the nerves, which may result in back and leg pain or other symptoms.

The condition is usually first diagnosed in people over 50, and the likelihood increases as we age. It is estimated that about 1.2 million people in the United States are diagnosed with LSS each year, making it a fairly common condition. LSS affects all types of people, including those who have had healthy and active lifestyles.

Because LSS is caused by age-related changes in the spinal structure, some of these changes can’t be prevented. But you may be able to control the severity of LSS with regular exercise, maintaining flexibility, healthy body weight, good posture, and avoiding smoking.

Common symptoms of LSS include:

• Pain, stiffness, cramping, or heaviness in the legs, particularly when walking or standing for long periods of time.
• Lower back, buttock and leg pain.
• Numbness, weakness or a tingling sensation in the legs or feet.
• Pain relief when sitting, leaning forward or lying down.

In addition to taking a medical history that includes a list of your symptoms, other exams and tests may be performed to verify your condition. These may include:

• physical examination to determine standing and walking tolerance as well as limitations in your mobility and balance,
• X-ray/CT scan (computerized tomography),
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or
• myelogram (spinal canal X-ray or MRI).

LSS does not resolve on its own. Often, the symptoms of LSS will become gradually worse over time. Left untreated, pain, discomfort and weakness may increase over time and result in loss of leg function. LSS can also lead to loss of bowel and bladder control and diminished sexual function.

There are symptom-targeted non-surgical treatments, such as pain medications and injections, which typically provide temporary relief of symptoms. If your symptoms do not improve or become more severe, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to address the underlying cause of your LSS.   

An alternative to open or endoscopic surgery, mild is an outpatient procedure that reduces back and leg pain and improves mobility with reduced risk and recovery time.

The mild procedure is usually performed in about an hour. Most patients return home the same day.

This is up to your doctor, but in most cases the mild procedure is performed under local anesthesia with light sedation.

Unlike some treatments that may only temporarily address symptoms, mild is a minimally invasive procedure that addresses the underlying cause of pain and immobility in patients with LSS. Compared to more invasive surgical decompression procedures that require general anesthesia, mild can be performed in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. Also, procedure and recovery times are generally reduced compared to more invasive procedures, after which patients may need rehabilitation or physical therapy.

Potential benefits of the mild procedure

• Reduced chance of infection and other complications associated with other surgical options.
• Minimal discomfort during surgery, with most mild procedures performed under local anesthesia.
• Limited hospital stay – usually patients return home the same day.
• Reduced recovery time compared to more invasive surgical options.