Can Spinal Decompression Help Sciatica Nerve Pain? Scripps Ranch, CA
Sciatica isn't always a constant, unbearable pain.
Sometimes it's the leg that starts aching 20 minutes into a drive. Sometimes it's tingling in the foot every time you sit at your desk. Maybe the severe pain you had a month ago is finally better, but two toes are still numb. Or you're feeling pretty good until you bend over, work out, play golf or spend too long sitting—and suddenly the symptoms are back.
When that keeps happening, it is reasonable to wonder whether Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression could help.
For the right patient, it may.
Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC has more than 22 years of experience with Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression and has performed more than 100,000 decompression treatments. Many of the sciatica patients he sees have already tried other forms of care. What they often still don't understand is exactly what is irritating the nerve.
That's where Dr. Boelk starts.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Michael Langsdale — San Diego, CA
“I have had a wonderful experience with Dr. Boelk and his staff at the Spinal Decompression and Chiropractic Center of San Diego. They have a great protocol and the best decompression machines. I’ve been to other places with sub par machines and didn’t get any benefit. Dr. Boelk is very attentive and cares about each person, you can see it in how he interacts with everyone. Been undergoing treatment for about 12 sessions now and the sciatica is gone and I’m almost back to normal, didn’t think it would ever heal but even after the first session I had tremendous relief and could sleep mostly pain free for the first time in months. Definitely worth the investment! Thank you!”
— Michael Langsdale, San Diego, CA
Have an MRI? Bring It With You
If you live in Scripps Ranch and want to know whether spinal decompression may be appropriate for your sciatica, Dr. Boelk offers a No-Charge, No-Obligation Consultation.
If you've already had a lumbar MRI, bring the images and report.
Dr. Boelk can review them with you and compare what's on the MRI with what you're actually experiencing.
No MRI yet? That's okay too.
The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego
5095 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: 619-298-0800
www.SanDiegoBackCare.com
Live 24/7 Answering Service • Hablamos Español
Two People Can Have “Sciatica” and Have Very Different Problems
One person has a known L5-S1 disc herniation and pain traveling into the foot.
Another has spinal stenosis and develops leg symptoms primarily when standing and walking.
Someone else has an L4-L5 disc problem and numbness or tingling without much back pain at all.
Calling all three conditions “sciatica” doesn't tell Dr. Boelk enough.
He wants to know where the symptoms begin and where they end. He wants to know whether you're experiencing pain, burning, tingling, numbness or weakness.
He'll also ask what makes it worse.
Sitting?
Driving?
Standing?
Walking?
Bending?
Exercise?
Sleep?
These patterns can provide valuable information when they're compared with the examination and imaging.
Why Can a Lumbar Disc Cause Symptoms in the Foot?
Because the location where you feel the symptoms isn't necessarily where the problem begins.
Nerves leave the lumbar spine and travel into the lower extremities. A disc that bulges or herniates into an area occupied by one of those nerves can irritate it.
The result may be pain in the lower back.
But it can also be felt in the buttock, thigh, calf, ankle, foot or toes.
Some patients have surprisingly little back pain.
That's one reason Dr. Boelk doesn't dismiss a lumbar disc problem simply because someone says, “My back actually feels pretty good. It's my leg that's killing me.”
What Is Dr. Boelk Looking for on the MRI?
Not simply the biggest disc herniation.
A lumbar MRI can show abnormalities at several levels, especially as people get older.
There may be a disc bulge at L3-L4, a protrusion at L4-L5 and degenerative changes at L5-S1.
Dr. Boelk looks at the actual images whenever they're available and compares them with the patient's symptoms.
Where is the disc material?
Is it affecting the area around a nerve?
Which side?
How much space is available?
Does that make sense with where the patient is experiencing symptoms?
The millimeter measurement on the report is only one piece of information.
A finding can look significant on paper and not necessarily explain the patient's current symptoms. Another finding may appear less dramatic but be located exactly where it can irritate a particular nerve.
The imaging has to make sense with the person.
What Happens During Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression?
The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego uses the DRX9000 exclusively.
The office has seven DRX9000 systems—four lumbar and three cervical.
During lumbar decompression, the patient is positioned on the table and the system applies controlled decompression and relaxation cycles.
Most patients find the treatment comfortable. Some become so relaxed during their sessions that they fall asleep.
But the machine isn't making the clinical decisions.
Dr. Boelk determines how the patient is positioned, which spinal level is being addressed, the treatment angle, starting force and how the protocol should progress based on the patient's response.
Body size and tolerance also matter.
There isn't one universal setting for everyone with sciatica.
That distinction becomes particularly important when someone has already tried decompression elsewhere and didn't get the result they expected.
Watch What Happens to the Symptoms Down Your Leg
Pain intensity isn't the only thing worth tracking.
Suppose your sciatica used to travel from your buttock all the way into your toes.
Now you're still uncomfortable, but the symptoms rarely travel below your knee.
Tell Dr. Boelk.
Or perhaps the leg pain is improving, but the numbness in your foot hasn't changed.
Tell him that too.
Maybe you're sleeping better or sitting longer. Perhaps you've returned to the gym but aren't ready to run yet.
These are useful changes.
Recovery isn't always a straight line, and judging the entire process by whether today's pain is a 4 instead of a 5 can cause you to miss meaningful improvements in function.
What Should You Do About Sitting?
If sitting is one of your obvious triggers, start by paying attention to how long it takes before the symptoms appear.
Someone working at a desk may be reasonably comfortable for the first 30 minutes and then notice the leg progressively worsening.
If that's your pattern, get up periodically.
Change positions.
Walk for a few minutes if walking feels comfortable.
The same applies to driving.
If your symptoms consistently flare during longer drives from Scripps Ranch, look at how you're sitting in the car. Don't stay locked into one position for a long period simply because you're trying to maintain “perfect posture.”
Your body generally benefits from changing positions.
Don't Assume the Tightest Stretch Is the Best Stretch
Sciatica can make the back of the thigh and calf feel extremely tight.
That doesn't necessarily mean you should aggressively stretch them.
Pay attention to the type of sensation you're producing.
A muscular stretch may feel like a gradual pull.
An irritated nerve may produce burning, tingling, electrical pain or symptoms traveling farther toward the foot.
If you're repeatedly reproducing those neurological symptoms during a stretch, pulling harder isn't necessarily helping.
The same principle applies to exercises.
If something consistently sends the symptoms farther down the leg or leaves you substantially worse afterward, stop assuming you need to push through it.
You Don't Have to Become Afraid of Movement
The opposite mistake is doing almost nothing.
If walking feels comfortable, walk.
Short, comfortable bouts of movement may be preferable to sitting in one position for hours.
If you're returning to exercise, pay attention to how you respond rather than trying to immediately resume everything you were doing before the injury.
For sleep, some people with sciatica prefer lying on their side with a pillow between their knees. Others feel better on their back with support beneath the knees.
There isn't one perfect position for everybody.
Use the position that allows you to sleep without repeatedly aggravating your symptoms.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ David Wasserman
“I've had a great experience at The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego. I had visited a couple places before beginning treatment, had a great feeling about Dr. Boelk and the staff, and how their approach was a full body treatment, using nutrition, exercises, and more. I was in terrible shape before, with fairly constant pain that affected all aspects of my life, but now am fully mobile. I have phased out regular visits and go in infrequently but still have the best care. I highly recommend, thanks for all, Doc!”
What if You've Already Tried Physical Therapy, Chiropractic or an Injection?
Tell Dr. Boelk exactly what happened.
If physical therapy helped your back but the foot still feels numb, that's useful.
If an injection dramatically reduced your leg pain but only for a few weeks, that's useful.
If an adjustment helps temporarily but the symptoms return every time you sit, mention it.
Previous treatment doesn't have to be classified simply as a success or failure.
How your symptoms responded can help Dr. Boelk better understand your condition.
Who Shouldn't Have Spinal Decompression?
This is one of the most important parts of the consultation.
Dr. Boelk doesn't accept every patient for decompression.
An unhealed fracture, significant osteoporosis, unstable spondylolisthesis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, pregnancy for lumbar decompression, certain malignancies and other conditions may make treatment inappropriate.
Previous spinal surgery requires careful review as well.
Metal hardware or fusion at the level that would need to be treated can prevent Dr. Boelk from treating that area.
And sometimes the MRI or examination suggests that another specialist should be involved instead.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jeff J. — Tucson, AZ
“I found this terrific practice on social media. I followed up and did my own research so I decided to pay them a visit. The place is clean, well organized and run by a very efficient receptionist. I met with the doctor and after a honest and forthright conversation, we both determined that surgery was my only option to correct my back issues. I will return as a customer when the time is right.”
— Jeff J., Tucson, AZ
Being told that you're not a decompression candidate can still be valuable information.
Don't Ignore Increasing Weakness
Sciatica isn't only about pain.
Nerve function matters.
If you're noticing that one leg is becoming weaker, the foot is starting to slap when you walk, you're having increasing difficulty lifting the front of the foot, or the leg is giving way, get evaluated.
New bowel or bladder dysfunction, difficulty urinating, numbness around the groin or saddle area, or rapidly progressing weakness require prompt medical attention rather than waiting for a routine decompression consultation.
More Than 22 Years of Experience With Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
Dr. Boelk's interest in spinal injuries started personally.
He suffered an L5 compression fracture at age 16 and later experienced disc injuries and sciatica. His own injuries and thousands of hours spent on rehabilitation helped shape the direction of his practice.
Today, Dr. Boelk is a Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor and Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist.
He founded the Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Training Academy, where he trains other doctors in decompression protocols and techniques. He is a Founding Member of the American Spinal Decompression Society, a member of the International Disc Education Association, and holds California X-ray radiography credentials.
He has now performed more than 100,000 decompression treatments.
But the first decision isn't how to treat someone.
It's whether they should be treated with decompression at all.
Could Spinal Decompression Help Your Sciatica?
If you live in Scripps Ranch and sciatica is interfering with sitting, driving, sleeping, working, exercising or staying active, find out what's causing the nerve irritation.
Bring your lumbar MRI images and report if you have them.
Dr. Boelk can review your symptoms, history and imaging and discuss whether Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be appropriate for your situation.
No MRI? You can still schedule a consultation.
Not every patient is a candidate. If Dr. Boelk doesn't believe decompression is appropriate for your condition, he'll tell you.
No-Charge, No-Obligation Consultation
The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego
5095 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: 619-298-0800
www.SanDiegoBackCare.com
Live 24/7 Answering Service • Hablamos Español
Call 619-298-0800 to schedule your No-Charge, No-Obligation Consultation.