Over the past two years, Keith Magnuson has been in debilitating pain. The 83-year-old has lumbar spinal stenosis, a back condition that causes problems any time he is on his feet.
Until recently, Magnuson was a regular rock climber and hiker, but these days it hurts just to unload the dishwasher.
“Any time I’m on my feet, I’m in pain,” says Magnuson, who lives in Seattle.
His doctor had found a solution. Magnuson could have a procedure called minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD), which would help his back and carries less risk than surgery.
As Magnuson was over 65, the procedure would be covered by his Medicare insurance and could be arranged and performed quickly.
