08/29/2025
For many patients the scariest words they can possibly hear are: "you need surgery."
For Gloria, overcome the fear of visiting the doctor was often overwhelming, but when she could no longer move in certain ways because her back would lock up it would startle her, and she knew that she couldn't let her spine pain gets worse.
Gloria had the MILD surgery done.
MILD is a minimally invasive procedure often used by surgeons to treat spinal stenosis in the lower back. It is considered minimally invasive by doctors, because it uses a small incision into the back with precise tools and local anesthesia with sedation. This leads to shorter recovery times and reduces complications. Patients can often go home the same day.
Surgery Highlights
β70β80% of patients report significant improvement in pain, mobility, and quality of life.
β Studies show sustained benefits for at least 2β5 years after the procedure in most patients.
β Complication rates are very low (less than 1%), especially compared to open spine surgery.
β Over 75% of patients avoid additional invasive spine surgery for at least 5 years after having MILD performed.
For Gloria, the, "back pain, hand pain, knee pain, uh, I guess just an overall pain problem," that originally brought her to our clinic was: "after having the mild surgery done, it relieved that I don't have that."
As for her fear of doctors and hospitals: "It has been very good at Arizona Pain. They, listen to what I have to say and they helped me find alternatives as to what I can do and should do and I followed their lead pretty much. They've been really good to me." π΅βΊοΈ