Can Spinal Decompression Help a Bulging Disc? – Kearny Mesa, CA

Dealing With a Bulging Disc That Just Isn't Getting Better?

By the time many patients with a bulging or herniated disc come to see Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC, they've already been dealing with the problem for quite a while.

They've done physical therapy. They've been adjusted. They've tried exercises and stretching. Some have taken medications or had injections. Others have been told that if things don't improve, surgery may be the next conversation.

And yet they're still hurting.

Sometimes it's mostly back pain. Other times the bigger problem is sciatica—pain shooting through the buttock and down the leg. There may be numbness, tingling, burning or weakness. Sitting becomes uncomfortable. Driving is miserable. Working out becomes difficult, and eventually even ordinary things like putting on your shoes can hurt.

If your MRI shows a bulging or herniated disc, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be worth looking into.

But Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC doesn't recommend decompression simply because an MRI says you have a disc bulge.

He wants to know whether that disc is actually contributing to your symptoms and, just as importantly, whether you're a good candidate for treatment.

From Severe Sciatica Back to His Normal Life

Anthony K. had already undergone surgery for a bulging disc about five years before coming to our office.

Unfortunately, the disc problem returned and began affecting his sciatic nerve. Anthony described the leg pain as so severe that it made him want to cry.

He tried other options before finding Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC.

After beginning Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, Anthony reported noticing a difference after just a few sessions. After several months of care, he said:

“I'm able to go about my normal life again.”

He also wrote that he was thankful to find a doctor who genuinely cared and knew how to help someone in his situation.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
— Anthony K., San Diego, CA

Not Sure If Your Disc Problem Is a Decompression Case?

Start with a No-Charge Consultation with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC.

Bring your MRI if you have one. Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC will sit down with you, review what you've been dealing with, look at your available imaging and determine whether your condition appears appropriate for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression.

There is no obligation to begin treatment.

Not everyone is a candidate. If Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC doesn't believe decompression is appropriate for you, he'll tell you.

Call 619-298-0800 to schedule. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Hablamos Español.

The MRI Matters, But It Isn't the Whole Story

Patients sometimes come into the office holding their MRI report like it contains the final answer.

It doesn't.

It gives us valuable information, but Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC still needs to put that information together with what's actually happening to you.

You might see terms like disc bulge, protrusion, herniation, extrusion, degenerative disc disease, foraminal stenosis or nerve-root impingement.

Some MRIs look terrible and the patient is functioning surprisingly well.

Other times a finding that doesn't sound particularly dramatic on paper is in exactly the wrong place and the patient is miserable.

That's why Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC personally reviews available imaging rather than relying only on the wording of the radiology report.

If you're having pain down your leg, for example, does the disc problem on your MRI involve a nerve that would reasonably produce those symptoms?

If you're experiencing weakness or numbness, does that fit too?

That's the kind of information we're looking for.

Where Does Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Fit In?

The goal of Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression isn't to magically “pop” a bulging disc back into place.

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC doesn't explain it to patients that way because that's an oversimplification.

The treatment uses controlled decompressive forces directed at specific areas of the spine. The question is whether the mechanical environment around the injured disc and surrounding structures is something that may be appropriately addressed with decompression.

And that's where experience becomes important.

The treatment needs to fit the patient—not the other way around.

The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego exclusively uses DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression systems and has seven systems in the office: four lumbar and three cervical.

This isn't one table sitting in the corner of a general chiropractic office. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression and difficult disc cases have been a major focus of the practice for more than two decades.

Why Patients Seek Out Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC

Credentials & Experience

• Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor
• Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist
• Founder, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Training Academy
• Founding Member, American Spinal Decompression Society
• Member, International Disc Education Association
• California X-Ray Radiography Licensed Doctor
• 20+ Years of Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Experience
• 100,000+ Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Treatments Performed & Supervised
• Instructor of Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Protocols & Techniques to Other Doctors

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC also has plenty of personal experience with spinal injuries.

He has spent thousands of hours over the years rehabilitating his own neck and lower-back injuries while continuing to surf, play hockey, golf and strength train.

That personal experience is one reason Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC tends to look beyond simply getting someone through the next few days. Patients usually want to know how they can get back to working, exercising, traveling, golfing, surfing or simply living without constantly thinking about their back.

Sometimes We Tell a Patient Not to Do Decompression

This is part of the job.

Having a bulging disc doesn't automatically qualify someone for treatment.

A good example is Toni W., who traveled from Lake Elsinore to meet with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC after having previous back surgery.

She had significant hardware in her spine.

After reviewing her case, Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC told Toni that she wasn't an appropriate candidate for the decompression program.

She still left the office a five-star review and wrote:

“Very nice Dr. and Honest!... Just not in my personal case, as I have a lot of hardware in my back. But I'm glad I took the time to meet with him. It was very informative all around.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
— Toni W., Lake Elsinore, CA

That's exactly what the consultation is there for.

Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC needs more information or additional imaging.

And sometimes the answer is no.

What If You've Already Tried Physical Therapy, Chiropractic or Injections?

That's very common.

You don't have to come into our office having failed every other treatment first, but many patients do arrive after trying several different approaches.

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC isn't interested in telling you that everything you've already done was wrong.

He wants to know why you're still having symptoms.

Maybe the disc is still irritating a nerve. Maybe something has changed since your previous treatment. Maybe the symptoms and MRI findings point toward a disc problem that may be appropriate for decompression.

Or maybe they don't.

We need to look.

Does a Bulging Disc Mean Surgery Is Coming?

Not necessarily.

There are absolutely disc conditions that need surgical evaluation. Progressive neurological problems, certain types of instability, cauda equina symptoms and other serious findings can change the situation considerably.

When Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC believes a patient needs a surgical or medical evaluation, he'll tell them.

But the words “bulging disc” or “herniated disc” on an MRI don't automatically mean surgery is your only option.

For an appropriate patient, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be one conservative option worth considering.

The important part is determining whether you're actually that patient.

What Happens at the No-Charge Consultation?

It's pretty straightforward.

Bring your MRI if you have one and sit down with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC.

The consultation includes:

• One-on-one consultation with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC
• Discussion of your back or neck symptoms
• Review of pain, numbness or tingling traveling into an arm or leg
• Discussion of treatments you've already tried
• Review of your available MRI or X-rays
• Discussion of whether the imaging findings match your symptoms
• Determination of whether additional examination or imaging may be appropriate
• Discussion of whether you may be a candidate for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
• Time to ask questions before deciding what you want to do next

There is no obligation to begin treatment.

If Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC believes you're a candidate, he'll explain why.

If he needs more information before making that decision, he'll tell you.

And if he doesn't believe Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is appropriate for you, he'll tell you that too.

Bulging Disc Treatment in Kearny Mesa, CA

If you live or work in Kearny Mesa and have been diagnosed with a bulging or herniated disc, you don't need to figure out on your own whether decompression is right for you.

Our office is located right here on Murphy Canyon Road.

Bring your MRI if you have one and let Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC take a look at what you're dealing with.

The question isn't whether everyone with a bulging disc should have spinal decompression.

They shouldn't.

The question is whether it makes sense for you.

Find Out If You're a Candidate

If you've been diagnosed with a bulging or herniated disc and aren't sure what to do next, call 619-298-0800 to schedule a No-Charge Consultation with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC.

Bring your MRI if you have one. We'll look at what you're dealing with, talk about what you've already tried and determine whether Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression makes sense for your condition.

The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC
Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor
Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist
Founder, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Training Academy

5095 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92123

619-298-0800
SanDiegoBackCare.com

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