Can Spinal Decompression Help a Pinched Nerve? – La Jolla, CA

Is Your Arm or Leg Pain Coming From Your Spine?

A pinched nerve does not always feel like spinal pain.

Some patients have very little neck or lower-back pain. Instead, they feel burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness traveling into an arm or leg. Others experience pain in the shoulder, hand, buttock, calf, foot, or toes without realizing that the irritated nerve may originate in the spine.

Common symptoms include:

• Pain traveling down one arm or leg

• Numbness or tingling in the hand or foot

• Burning or electrical sensations

• Reduced grip strength

• Weakness in an arm or leg

• Pain that becomes worse while sitting or driving

• Difficulty sleeping comfortably

• Symptoms that keep returning after temporary relief

When symptoms continue, it is important to look beyond the painful area and determine what is actually affecting the nerve.

If the irritation is connected to a bulging, herniated, protruding, or extruded spinal disc, non-surgical spinal decompression may be able to help.

Three Bulging Discs and One Touching the Nerve

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“I travel from the UK to see Dr. Boelk and his wonderful team.

I have three bulging discs, and one is touching the nerve. I have the spinal decompression treatment, and it really helps keep me in my active life.

I will not go to anyone else for back treatment. This place is number one, and they genuinely care about their patients.”

— Lisa S., United Kingdom

Lisa’s experience is her own, and no treatment can guarantee the same result for every patient. Her story demonstrates how a bulging disc can affect a nearby nerve and why patients sometimes travel a considerable distance to seek specialized treatment.

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.

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

A Pinched Nerve Is a Description, Not a Diagnosis

The phrase “pinched nerve” describes nerve irritation or compression. It does not identify the condition causing it.

Possible causes include:

• A bulging or herniated disc

• A disc protrusion or extrusion

• Degenerative disc changes

• Loss of disc height

• Inflammation surrounding a nerve

• Foraminal narrowing

• Spinal instability

• A recent injury or fracture

• A condition outside the spine that imitates nerve pain

This distinction matters because two patients with similar symptoms may need very different treatment.

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

How a Disc Can Put Pressure on a Nerve

The spinal discs sit between the vertebrae and help absorb force while allowing the spine to move.

When a disc becomes damaged, compressed, or dehydrated, it may begin to bulge or herniate toward a nearby spinal nerve. The combination of mechanical pressure and inflammation can cause symptoms to travel away from the spine.

A disc problem in the neck may produce symptoms in the shoulder, arm, hand, or fingers.

A disc problem in the lower back may produce symptoms in the buttock, thigh, calf, foot, or toes.

This is why treating only the painful arm or leg may provide limited relief when the actual source of the irritation is in the spine.

Pinched Nerves in the Lower Back

Nerves originating in the lumbar spine travel into the buttocks, legs, feet, and toes.

When one of these nerves becomes irritated, symptoms may include:

• Sciatica

• Burning pain through the buttock or 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 leg symptoms with very little lower-back pain. This can make it easy to assume the problem is located in the hip, knee, or leg.

Pinched Nerves in the Neck

Nerves originating in the cervical spine travel into the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers.

When a cervical nerve becomes irritated, symptoms may include:

• Neck or shoulder-blade pain

• Pain traveling down one arm

• Numbness or tingling in the hand

• Burning or electrical sensations

• Weakness in the arm or hand

• Reduced grip strength

• Symptoms that change with neck position

The symptom pattern can provide helpful clues about which nerve may be involved. However, the examination and imaging are needed to determine the cause and whether decompression is appropriate.

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 on DRX9000 spinal decompression systems specifically configured for the area involved.

For an appropriate patient, spinal 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 during everyday activities

• Increase tolerance for sitting, standing, and walking

• Help the patient progress into appropriate rehabilitation exercises

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

Why Treatment Must Be Specific to the Patient

A person with a lower-back disc herniation should not receive the same treatment as someone with a cervical disc injury.

Even when two patients have problems at the same spinal level, the table settings and treatment progression may differ based on:

• The severity of the symptoms

• Whether the symptoms are improving or spreading

• The patient’s body type

• The condition of the disc

• Muscle guarding

• Previous surgery

• Spinal stability

• How the patient responds to each treatment

The equipment matters, but patient selection, clinical experience, treatment settings, and ongoing monitoring are equally important.

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

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“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 an 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

Dr. Boelk did not recommend a decompression program simply because Jeff wanted a non-surgical option. After reviewing his condition, they agreed that surgery was the appropriate direction.

That is the purpose of the consultation: to determine whether treatment makes sense before the patient commits time and money to a program.

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 La Jolla 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 Ignore Persistent Nerve Symptoms

Pain may come and go, but persistent numbness, tingling, or weakness deserves attention.

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.