Can Spinal Decompression Help a Pinched Nerve? – Clairemont, CA

When Nerve Pain Begins Affecting Everything You Do

A pinched nerve can interfere with sitting, sleeping, driving, exercising, working, and even walking normally.

The symptoms may begin in the neck or lower back, but they often travel into another area of the body. A problem in the neck may cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the shoulder, arm, hand, or fingers. A problem in the lower back may affect the buttock, leg, foot, or toes.

Some patients experience sharp or burning pain. Others primarily notice numbness, electrical sensations, weakness, or the feeling that an arm or leg is becoming unreliable.

When these symptoms continue, the real question is not simply how to reduce the pain temporarily. It is:

What is irritating the nerve, and can the source of that irritation be treated without surgery?

When nerve pressure is connected to a bulging, herniated, protruding, or extruded spinal disc, non-surgical spinal decompression may be able to help.

An Extruded Disc Was Pressing on Her L5 Nerve

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Last year, I spent three months constantly going back and forth between doctor’s appointments and urgent care. The pain was unbearable. I was taking medication regularly just to get through the day.

Getting out of bed was excruciating, and walking or standing felt like torture. Every step filled me with dread.

In December, my doctor finally ordered an MRI. That’s when I learned I had an extruded disc pressing on my L5 nerve, which affects the leg and foot. My doctor scheduled two follow-up appointments: one for pain management and spinal injections, and another to evaluate me for surgery.

Then I discovered spinal decompression therapy. I was thrilled to find a non-invasive alternative. I never ended up needing either of those appointments.

Now, I’m walking regularly and standing up straight—something I couldn’t do before. When I first sought help, I was so hunched over that I had to use a cane just to move forward.

Because of the pain, I hadn’t exercised in months. But now, I’m doing a program called 75 Hard, which requires not one but two 45-minute workouts per day, and I've even gotten back to lifting weights!

I’m so thankful I found this place. It’s conveniently located near my work, which makes it easy to fit sessions into my lunch break.

Dr. Boelk and the staff are incredibly friendly and polite. It’s always a pleasure to come in.

The environment is so relaxing that I look forward to each visit. I truly thank God for leading me to this alternative. It’s made such a difference in my life.”

— Amanda, San Diego, CA

Amanda’s experience is her own, and no treatment can guarantee the same result for every patient. Her story demonstrates how pressure on a spinal nerve can affect walking, posture, sleep, exercise, and nearly every part of daily life.

Find Out What Is Irritating Your Nerve

If pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness is interfering with your sleep, work, exercise, driving, or daily activities, call 619-298-0800 to schedule a no-charge, no-obligation consultation with Dr. Cassidy Boelk, DC.

Bring your MRI or other recent imaging if available. Dr. Boelk will review your condition, answer your questions, and tell you directly whether you appear to be a candidate for non-surgical spinal decompression.

The office is conveniently located in Kearny Mesa, a short drive from Clairemont.

Call 619-298-0800 today to schedule your consultation. Hablamos Español.

What Does “Pinched Nerve” Actually Mean?

A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve becomes irritated or compressed. However, the phrase does not explain what is creating the pressure.

Possible causes include:

• A bulging or herniated disc

• A disc protrusion or extrusion

• Degenerative disc changes

• Loss of disc height

• Inflammation surrounding the nerve

• Foraminal narrowing

• Spinal instability

• A recent injury or fracture

• A condition outside the spine that imitates nerve pain

This distinction is important because not every patient with arm or leg symptoms needs the same treatment.

Non-surgical spinal decompression is intended to address certain disc-related causes of nerve pressure. It will not correct every condition that can produce pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.

Why Nerve Pain Travels Away From the Spine

The spinal nerves act like communication lines connecting the spinal cord with different parts of the body.

Nerves in the cervical spine travel into the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers. Nerves in the lumbar spine travel into the buttocks, legs, feet, and toes.

If a disc irritates a nerve near the spine, symptoms may be felt anywhere along that nerve’s pathway. This is why a patient can have significant pain or numbness in the hand or foot even when the source of the problem is in the neck or lower back.

Treating only the painful arm or leg may provide limited relief if the nerve remains irritated near the spine.

Pinched Nerves in the Lower Back

A compressed or irritated lumbar nerve may cause:

• Lower-back and buttock pain

• Sciatica

• Burning pain traveling down the leg

• Numbness in the calf, foot, or toes

• Tingling or electrical sensations

• Weakness in the leg or foot

• Pain that becomes worse while sitting

• Difficulty standing or walking comfortably

Some patients experience severe symptoms in the leg with very little lower-back pain. The location and pattern of the symptoms need to be compared with the examination and imaging.

Pinched Nerves in the Neck

A compressed or irritated cervical nerve may cause:

• Neck or shoulder-blade pain

• Pain traveling down one arm

• Numbness or tingling in the hand or fingers

• Burning or electrical sensations

• Weakness in the arm or hand

• Reduced grip strength

• Symptoms that change with neck position

• Difficulty sleeping comfortably

Not every case of hand numbness originates in the neck. Peripheral nerve problems, shoulder conditions, and other health issues can create similar symptoms, which is why the diagnosis matters.

How Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression May Help

Non-surgical spinal decompression uses computer-controlled pulling and releasing cycles to gently reduce pressure at a targeted area of the spine.

At The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego, lumbar and cervical conditions are treated using DRX9000 spinal decompression systems specifically configured for the area involved.

For an appropriate patient, decompression may help:

• Reduce pressure affecting the spinal nerve

• Decrease pain traveling into the arm or leg

• Improve fluid and nutrient movement within the disc

• Reduce protective muscle tightness

• Improve comfort while sitting, standing, and walking

• Improve tolerance for normal daily activities

• Help the patient progress into appropriate rehabilitation exercises

Spinal decompression is not simply a forceful stretch of the entire spine. The treatment level, angle, positioning, force, and progression must be matched to the patient’s diagnosis, anatomy, symptoms, and response.

Why Previous Treatment May Not Have Worked

Many patients arrive after trying medication, massage, physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, injections, acupuncture, stretching, or rest.

Those treatments may have been reasonable, but improvement can be limited when:

• The underlying diagnosis is incomplete

• Treatment is focused only on the painful arm or leg

• The affected disc level is not properly targeted

• Exercises repeatedly irritate the nerve

• Spinal instability has not been evaluated

• Treatment stops as soon as the pain temporarily improves

• The patient returns to lifting or exercise too quickly

• The disc remains compressed

This does not mean spinal decompression is automatically the answer. It means the condition should be properly reassessed before another treatment is selected.

Why Dr. Boelk Reviews the Actual Images

An MRI report may identify several abnormalities, but not every disc bulge or degenerative change is responsible for the symptoms.

Dr. Boelk reviews the available images and compares them with:

• The exact location of the pain

• The pattern of numbness or tingling

• Muscle-strength changes

• Reflex findings

• Orthopedic and neurological examination results

• Previous treatment and surgical history

• Weight-bearing spinal alignment

• Signs of instability

• Positions and activities that aggravate the symptoms

When appropriate, weight-bearing and flexion-extension X-rays may also be taken. These images can reveal movement or instability that may not appear on an MRI performed while the patient is lying down.

The goal is to determine whether the imaging findings match the symptoms and whether decompression can be performed safely.

Not Every Patient Is a Candidate

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I decided to see Dr. Boelk after a pretty gnarly motocross neck injury. At the hospital I was at, I felt I was getting pressured into a surgery, which I refused.

A friend of a friend referred him after Dr. Boelk successfully treated his broken back.

Dr. Boelk is a compassionate individual who truly cares about his patients. He looked at my MRI images, explained what he saw and potential routes for recovery.

He could not treat me, as I have to wait until the fracture in my neck heals, but the level of professionalism, compassion, caring and knowledge displayed by him was exceptional.

He also recommended seeking an additional opinion from another neurosurgeon. My experience was that he really cares and he's not someone who would take advantage of the situation someone's in.

I will definitely be back and already recommended him to others as well! Thank you, Dr. Boelk!”

— Jan H., San Marcos, CA

Dr. Boelk did not recommend treatment while Jan’s fracture was still healing. His experience demonstrates why safety and proper patient selection must come before starting decompression.

A patient may not qualify because of:

• Spinal instability

• Surgical hardware at the treatment level

• A recent or unhealed fracture

• Pregnancy when lumbar decompression is being considered

• Certain advanced spinal conditions

• Symptoms requiring urgent medical or surgical evaluation

If Dr. Boelk does not believe decompression is appropriate, he will explain why and recommend another direction when possible.

What Can You Do While Waiting to Be Evaluated?

Avoid repeatedly forcing movements that cause symptoms to travel farther into the arm or leg.

A few practical steps may help reduce repeated irritation:

• Change positions regularly

• Limit prolonged sitting when it increases symptoms

• Avoid aggressive stretching of an irritated arm or leg

• Stop exercises that increase numbness or tingling

• Avoid repeated bending, twisting, or heavy lifting

• Keep screens closer to eye level if neck position aggravates arm symptoms

• Take short walks if walking is comfortable

• Pay attention to whether symptoms are improving or spreading

The right exercise depends on the cause of the nerve irritation. A movement that helps one person may aggravate another.

When Nerve Symptoms Require Immediate Medical Attention

Seek urgent medical attention if symptoms include:

• New loss of bladder or bowel control

• Numbness in the groin or saddle region

• Rapidly progressing weakness

• Sudden loss of coordination

• Severe symptoms following significant trauma

• Fever or unexplained illness with severe spinal pain

Progressive weakness should not be ignored. A patient who is losing strength in an arm, hand, leg, or foot may require faster neurological or surgical evaluation.

Why Patients Seek Out Dr. Cassidy Boelk, DC

Patients from Clairemont and throughout San Diego County seek out Dr. Boelk because his practice is focused on spinal decompression, disc injuries, sciatica, radiating arm pain, and difficult neck and back conditions.

His credentials and experience include:

• Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor

• Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist

• More than 21 years of clinical experience

• Over 100,000 spinal decompression treatments performed

• Founder of the Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Training Academy

• Trains other doctors in spinal decompression protocols and techniques

• Founding Member of the American Spinal Decompression Society

• Member of the International Disc Education Association

• California-licensed doctor with X-ray radiography certification

• Seven DRX9000 spinal decompression systems

• Four lumbar and three cervical decompression systems

• Extensive personal experience rehabilitating serious spinal and disc injuries

Dr. Boelk has spent thousands of hours rehabilitating his own neck and lower-back injuries while developing the decompression, rehabilitation, and spinal-stability protocols he uses with appropriate patients.

People travel to his San Diego office from throughout California, other states, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom to seek his experience.

Do Not Let Nerve Symptoms Keep Getting Worse

Occasional soreness is one thing. Persistent pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness is different and deserves a proper evaluation.

You do not have to commit to treatment to get an informed opinion.

Start with a no-charge, no-obligation consultation. Dr. Boelk will review your symptoms, examine your available imaging, and tell you honestly whether non-surgical spinal decompression may be appropriate.

Call Today to Find Out if You Are a Candidate

The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego
5095 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92123

Call: 619-298-0800
Website: www.SanDiegoBackCare.com
Hablamos Español

Call 619-298-0800 today to schedule your no-charge, no-obligation consultation. Find out what is irritating your nerve and whether non-surgical spinal decompression is an appropriate next step.