Lumbar Spinal Stenosis-Surgery Surgery is done to relieve pressure on the nerve roots. This can help reduce pain, numbness, and weakness in your legs.

Surgery may be recommended if:

• Your pain, numbness, or weakness is so bad that it gets in the way of normal daily activities and hurts your quality of life.
• You are in otherwise good health.

The goal of surgery is to relieve pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs-not to relieve back pain. People who have surgery only for back pain are less satisfied with the results than are those who have surgery for nerve root symptoms and pain in both the back and legs. Also, numbness, weakness, and pain may return after surgery.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Should I Have Surgery?

Surgery choices

Decompressive laminectomy, which relieves pressure on the spinal nerve roots, is the most common procedure for relieving spinal stenosis. This surgery may be done with or without spinal fusion.

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