Can Spinal Decompression Help a Pinched Nerve? – Mira Mesa, CA

When Numbness, Tingling, or Radiating Pain Will Not Go Away

A pinched nerve can affect nearly everything you do.

You may have difficulty sitting at work, driving, exercising, sleeping, or walking comfortably. Some patients feel sharp pain traveling down an arm or leg. Others experience burning, tingling, numbness, weakness, or a heavy feeling in the hand or foot.

Common symptoms include:

• Pain traveling down one arm or leg

• Numbness or tingling in the hand or foot

• Burning or electrical sensations

• Weakness in an arm or leg

• Reduced grip strength

• Pain that becomes worse while sitting or driving

• Difficulty standing or walking

• Symptoms that keep returning after temporary relief

When these symptoms continue, it is important to determine what is actually irritating the nerve.

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

Four Years of Leg Numbness and Lower-Back Pain

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“Hi, my name is Rosa Algravez. I have suffered from leg numbness and low-back pain for four years.

I haven’t been able to do groceries or even take baths without pain. I looked for relief with various doctors with no luck. I have done treatments ranging from chiropractic to acupuncture.

My husband found Dr. Boelk in the newspaper, and we decided that since we had tried everything else, we were going to give this a try.

After my first few treatments, I feel as though I have returned to 100%. Life for me is completely different.

My husband and I have returned to enjoying life. We travel more than 300 miles every day from Calexico. I can do things now with little to no limitations.

The staff makes you feel welcomed, and it’s a very family environment. The payments are easy, and I would recommend this to anyone suffering with low-back pain.

Thank you.”

— Rosa Algravez, Age 58, Calexico, CA

Rosa’s experience is her own, and no treatment can guarantee the same result for every patient. Her story demonstrates how nerve symptoms can affect basic activities and why properly identifying the cause matters.

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 located in Kearny Mesa, a convenient drive from Mira Mesa.

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

A Pinched Nerve Is Not the Actual Diagnosis

The phrase “pinched nerve” describes nerve irritation or compression. It 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 a spinal nerve

• Foraminal narrowing

• Spinal instability

• A recent injury or fracture

• A condition outside the spine that imitates nerve pain

This distinction matters because two people with similar symptoms may require completely different treatment.

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

Why Nerve Symptoms Can Appear Far From the Spine

The spinal nerves connect the spinal cord with different parts of the body.

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

If a nerve becomes irritated near the spine, symptoms may be felt anywhere along its pathway.

This is why numbness in the toes may originate in the lower back and tingling in the fingers may originate in the neck.

However, not every hand or foot symptom comes from the spine. Peripheral nerve problems, circulation issues, diabetes, injuries, and other conditions can create similar symptoms.

The source needs to be identified before treatment begins.

Pinched Nerves in the Lower Back

When a lumbar disc bulges or herniates toward a nearby nerve, symptoms may include:

• Lower-back or 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 have significant leg symptoms with very little lower-back pain. This can make it easy to assume that the problem is in the hip, knee, or leg.

Pinched Nerves in the Neck

When a cervical disc irritates a nearby nerve, symptoms may include:

• 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

The location of the symptoms can help identify which nerve may be involved, but the examination and imaging are needed to determine the cause.

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, 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 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, positioning, angle, force, and progression must be matched to the patient’s diagnosis, anatomy, symptoms, and response.

Why Numbness and Weakness Deserve Attention

Pain often receives the most attention because it is difficult to ignore. However, numbness and weakness can be more concerning signs of nerve involvement.

A patient should not assume that numbness is harmless simply because it is not painful.

Dr. Boelk monitors changes such as:

• Whether numbness is improving or spreading

• Muscle-strength changes

• Reflex changes

• Grip strength

• Balance and coordination

• Walking tolerance

• The ability to lift the foot or use the hand normally

Increasing or progressive weakness may require faster neurological or surgical evaluation.

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 Mira Mesa 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 Wait for Nerve Symptoms to Become More Limiting

Persistent pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness can gradually change how you work, exercise, travel, sleep, and spend time with your family.

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.