Can Spinal Decompression Help an L4-L5 Disc Herniation? | Mira Mesa, CA

If your MRI says you have an L4-L5 disc herniation, the first question probably isn't what the disc looks like.

It's what you can do about it.

Can you treat it without surgery? Should you keep exercising? Is the numbness in your leg something to worry about? And where does Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression fit in?

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC has been treating disc injuries with spinal decompression for more than 22 years and has performed more than 100,000 treatments. L4-L5 is one of the levels he sees over and over again.

For some patients, spinal decompression may be a good option.

For others, it isn't.

The MRI is part of figuring that out, but Dr. Boelk also wants to know what has happened to you over the last several weeks or months.

Maybe this started as occasional lower back pain and now it's going into your leg. Maybe part of your foot is numb. Maybe sitting is becoming harder. Or maybe you're still functioning pretty well but every time you try to get back to normal exercise, everything flares again.

That's where the conversation starts.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “For the First Time in 10 Years, I Am Completely Pain-Free”

“I was one step away from back surgery.”

“For the first time in 10 years, I am completely pain-free. My sciatca is gone, and I no longer have back pain.

Before finding Dr. Boelk, I tried chiropractic care, acupuncture, pain medications, and several other therapies that simply didn't work. I was one step away from back surgery when I discovered spinal decompression treatment at The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego.

The results have been incredible. Every visit was comfortable, relaxing, and completely pain-free. Dr. Boelk and Patty always took the time to explain everything and made me feel genuinely cared for throughout the process.

They are warm, welcoming, and truly dedicated to helping their patients.

Thank you, Dr. Boelk and Patty!”

— Toni H., San Diego, CA

Toni had been dealing with sciatica and back pain for 10 years and had already tried several other treatments.

By the time she found Dr. Boelk, surgery was the next step being considered.

Her case was appropriate for spinal decompression.

Not everyone's is.

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If Your MRI Says L4-L5, Bring It In. The Consultation Is No Charge.

Dr. Boelk would much rather look at the actual MRI images than have you try to remember what someone told you about them.

Bring the images and report if you have both.

Then tell him what's happening.

Where is the pain? How far does it travel? What makes it worse? Is anything numb? Are you losing strength? What could you do three months ago that you're having trouble doing now?

During the consultation Dr. Boelk may look at:

• The location of the L4-L5 herniation.

• Whether a nerve appears to be involved.

• Where your pain or numbness travels.

• Whether you've noticed weakness.

• How long you can sit, stand or walk.

• What happens when you bend, lift or exercise.

• What you've already tried.

• Whether anything helped, even temporarily.

• Whether your symptoms and MRI findings make sense together.

• Whether additional examination or imaging may be useful.

• Whether Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is something he would recommend.

No MRI yet? That's okay too.

You can still come in and talk with Dr. Boelk about what's happening.

There is no charge for the consultation and no obligation to begin treatment.

You aren't making a treatment decision by scheduling.

You're getting an opinion from a doctor who has spent more than two decades working with spinal decompression patients.

Because Dr. Boelk personally performs these consultations while also caring for his existing patients, only a limited number can be set aside in the schedule each week.

Call 619-298-0800 and ask about the next available No-Charge Consultation with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC.

Live 24/7 Answering Service • Hablamos Español

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Sometimes the L4-L5 Herniation Isn't the Biggest Finding on the MRI

This happens.

A patient comes in focused entirely on L4-L5 because that's the level somebody mentioned to them.

Then Dr. Boelk looks at the MRI and sees other things he needs to consider.

Maybe L5-S1 is significantly degenerated.

Maybe there's narrowing where the nerve exits.

Maybe there's a spondylolisthesis.

Maybe Dr. Boelk wants weight-bearing flexion and extension X-rays before he's comfortable deciding whether decompression is appropriate.

That's why the treatment shouldn't be chosen from one line in the MRI report.

Dr. Boelk wants the whole picture.

“Why Does My Leg Hurt If the Problem Is in My Back?”

Because the nerve doesn't end in your back.

If a disc problem is irritating or compressing a lumbar nerve, symptoms can travel into the buttock or leg.

You may have pain, burning, tingling or numbness.

Sometimes the patient has very little lower back pain.

That's actually one of the more confusing presentations for people.

They'll tell Dr. Boelk, “My back feels okay. It's my leg that's killing me.”

That can still be coming from the lumbar spine.

What Is the DRX9000 Trying to Do?

Dr. Boelk uses the DRX9000 exclusively.

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression applies controlled distraction to the spine with the goal of reducing mechanical stress at the involved level and creating a more favorable environment around the disc and surrounding structures.

The clinic has seven DRX9000 systems—four lumbar and three cervical combination systems.

But Dr. Boelk doesn't put someone on the DRX9000 simply because they have an L4-L5 herniation.

The evaluation comes first.

If he doesn't think the patient is a reasonable candidate, having seven machines sitting in the office doesn't change that.

How Does Dr. Boelk Know If You're Improving?

He asks more than “How's your pain?”

Suppose you tell him the pain is still a 5.

But now you can sit for an hour instead of 20 minutes.

You're sleeping through the night.

The pain no longer reaches your foot.

You walked around Costco without having to find somewhere to sit.

Those are meaningful changes.

The opposite is true too.

If your pain score hasn't changed much but the symptoms are moving farther down the leg, numbness is becoming more constant or your leg is getting weaker, Dr. Boelk wants to know.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “After 36 Sessions I Felt I Was Back to Normal”

“I could get back to surf, jiu jitsu and work after 6 months away.”

“When I first came here I was suffering from sciatica pain for several months non stop. I tried many different non invasive treatments, pain killers but relief was just temporary. I heard about Dr. Boelk on social media and after reading other people testimonials about him I decided to try. It felt better since my first session. After 12 I felt I was improving a lot but still had room to get better so we decided trying 12 more. After 36 sessions I felt I was back to normal. I could get back to surf, jiu jitsu and work after 6 months away. Doctor helped me through the whole process, leaving me free to decide the next step and being honest about expectations. I totally recommend for all my friends that suffer from sciatica pain. It’s worth 100%.”

— Yuri Fresia

Yuri's goal wasn't simply to make his back feel a little better.

He wanted to surf, train jiu jitsu and work again.

He had been away from those things for six months.

That is the type of progress Dr. Boelk wants patients tracking.

What If You've Been Dealing With This for Months?

Look at the direction things are going.

That's often more useful than looking at one particularly good or bad day.

Three months ago, could you walk 30 minutes?

Can you still?

Was the numbness occasional and now it's there every day?

Are you exercising less?

Are you taking more medication just to get through the day?

If your world is slowly getting smaller because you're constantly working around the problem, that's worth recognizing.

It doesn't mean spinal decompression is automatically the answer.

It may mean it's time to get another opinion.

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

That's fine.

Tell Dr. Boelk exactly what happened.

Maybe physical therapy helped tremendously with mobility but didn't change the sciatica.

Maybe an epidural worked very well but only lasted a few months.

Maybe you've tried chiropractic care, acupuncture, medication and exercises without much change.

Dr. Boelk isn't grading the treatments you've already tried.

He wants to understand how your body responded to them.

When Is Dr. Boelk More Concerned?

Increasing weakness is something he takes seriously.

Pain can fluctuate quite a bit with a disc problem.

Progressively losing strength is different.

If you're developing significant weakness in the leg or foot, or other neurological symptoms are clearly worsening, that deserves appropriate evaluation.

New bowel or bladder dysfunction, difficulty initiating or controlling urination, or numbness involving the groin, inner thighs or saddle region requires prompt medical attention.

Those aren't symptoms to wait on while trying routine conservative treatment.

★ Not Every Patient Gets Spinal Decompression

“But I'm glad I took the time to meet with him.”

“Very nice Dr. and Honest ! I would definitely recommend anyone who hasn't had metal put in there back in a surgery to go to him and give his program a shot. I believe it would definitely help. 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

Toni had extensive surgical hardware in her back.

Dr. Boelk did not accept her for spinal decompression.

She still felt coming in was worthwhile.

That's one of the reasons the consultation is useful even if you're unsure about treatment.

You may find out decompression makes sense.

You may find out it doesn't.

Either answer gets you farther than guessing.

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC

Dr. Boelk has performed more than 100,000 spinal decompression treatments over more than 22 years.

His professional background includes:

• Doctor of Chiropractic

• Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor

• Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist (PPSC)

• Founder, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Training Academy

• Trains other doctors in spinal decompression protocols and techniques

• Founding Member, American Spinal Decompression Society

• Member, International Disc Education Association

• California X-Ray Radiation Supervisor & Operator

His clinic has seven DRX9000 systems and is the largest known Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression clinic in Southern California.

Dr. Boelk also has his own history with spinal injury. He suffered an L5 compression fracture at 16 and later dealt with disc injuries and sciatica.

If You're in Mira Mesa and Have an L4-L5 Disc Herniation

You don't need to figure this out from Google searches and an MRI report.

Bring the images in.

Tell Dr. Boelk what your life looked like before this started and what's different now.

Then find out what he thinks.

No-Charge Consultation With Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC

Dr. Boelk personally performs the consultation and reviews your MRI if you have one.

No charge. No obligation to begin treatment.

If he believes your L4-L5 disc herniation may be appropriate for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, he'll explain why.

If he doesn't think you're a candidate, he'll tell you.

Because Dr. Boelk personally performs these consultations while continuing to care for his existing patients, the office can only set aside a limited number each week.

Call 619-298-0800 and ask about the next available No-Charge Consultation.

Live 24/7 Answering Service • Hablamos Español

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

619-298-0800
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