Do Herniated Discs Need Surgery? – Tierrasanta, CA
Your MRI shows a herniated disc, but your leg pain is finally starting to let up. A few weeks ago, it reached your foot every time you walked the dog. Now you can make it around the block, though sitting in the car still brings it on. Is that enough progress to give nonsurgical care more time?
Most people with a herniated disc in the lower back improve without surgery. How your symptoms are changing matters, especially when it comes to walking, sleeping, and leg strength. Persistent leg pain that limits your day despite appropriate care, significant weakness, or a loss of strength over time can change the recommendation.
At The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego in Kearny Mesa, Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC, helps Tierrasanta residents understand how their MRI findings fit their symptoms and what their options are. He is a Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor and Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist with more than 22 years of clinical experience.
A Patient Who Wanted to Get Back to Work and Surfing
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“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, Patient Review
Yuri measured progress by what he could do again. For you, the first sign might be finishing a walk, sitting through dinner, or getting home from work without needing to pull over and stretch your legs.
Start With a Complimentary, No-Obligation Consultation
If you’re weighing your options for a herniated disc, bring your MRI report and the actual images if you have them. If a surgeon has recommended a procedure, bring the notes or explain what the surgeon was concerned about.
During the consultation, you can discuss:
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Where the pain goes. Does it reach your thigh, calf, foot, or toes? Is it always on the same side?
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What has changed. Can you walk farther or sit longer? Has numbness spread, or does your foot feel weaker?
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What you’ve tried. Describe what helped, how long it lasted, and what still limits you.
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What a formal evaluation would involve. Ask how Dr. Boelk evaluates patients for DRX9000 nonsurgical spinal decompression and what findings might call for another type of care.
Call 619-298-0800 to request a complimentary, no-charge, no-obligation consultation.
How Can You Tell If Your Herniated Disc Symptoms Are Improving?
Pick one activity you do regularly and compare it from week to week. If you’re tracking walking, use a familiar route. If sitting is your biggest problem, compare how you feel on the same drive or through the same part of your workday.
Notice where the pain stops. Maybe it used to reach your toes, and now it usually stops at your thigh. Leg pain that consistently travels less far can be an encouraging change, especially when you’re also able to do more.
Notice when it starts and how long it lasts. If you used to turn around five minutes into a walk but can now go ten minutes before symptoms start, write that down. Mention whether the pain settles sooner afterward.
Pay attention to strength. If you’re catching your toes on stairs, struggling to lift the front of your foot, or noticing that your foot slaps the ground, tell your clinician even if the pain has eased. New or worsening leg or foot weakness needs prompt medical evaluation.
What If the Herniated Disc Still Shows Up on MRI?
Symptoms can improve while a herniated disc remains visible on MRI. At follow-up, your clinician can compare what you’re able to do and what the exam shows about strength, sensation, and reflexes. Those findings help put the scan in context.
If the report lists changes at several levels, ask “Which finding fits where I feel the pain, and what did you find on my exam that supports it?” A finding at L4–L5 or L5–S1 becomes more meaningful when its location matches the side and pattern of your symptoms.
When Should You Talk to a Spine Surgeon?
A surgical opinion can help when leg pain continues to limit walking, sleep, or work despite appropriate nonsurgical care. If surgery is recommended, ask which symptom the procedure is intended to improve, how soon you need to decide, and what risks apply if you wait. Significant or worsening weakness can change the timing.
New difficulty urinating, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin or saddle area requires emergency evaluation.
Where Does DRX9000 Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression Fit?
Lumbar DRX9000 spinal decompression uses a motorized table to apply controlled traction while your body is supported. Dr. Boelk considers it for selected patients after reviewing their history, physical examination, and relevant imaging. Depending on what the evaluation shows, he may recommend rehabilitation, further testing, or a specialist referral.
If a trial is appropriate, agree on a goal before you start. For example, if the pain usually reaches your foot after ten minutes in the car, use that drive as a point of comparison. At reassessment, report whether you can sit longer, how far the pain travels, and whether numbness or strength has changed. Those details help guide the next decision.
Learn more about DRX9000 Spinal Decompression Therapy.
7 Reasons Tierrasanta Patients Choose Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC
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More than 22 years of clinical experience. Dr. Boelk evaluates disc-related neck and back conditions, including symptoms that have persisted after previous treatment.
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More than 100,000 spinal decompression sessions performed or overseen. That experience informs how the practice screens patients, selects treatment settings, and reassesses progress.
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Training in decompression and rehabilitation. As a Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor and Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist, Dr. Boelk considers how your symptoms affect the activities you want to get back to.
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Seven dedicated DRX9000 systems. The clinic uses DRX9000 equipment exclusively for spinal decompression, with four lumbar and three cervical systems.
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Firsthand experience with spinal injuries. Dr. Boelk fractured his lower back at 16 and later experienced lumbar disc herniations and sciatica. He has spent thousands of hours rehabilitating his own injuries and helping patients with theirs.
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Experience training other doctors. He founded the Spinal Decompression Training Academy, where he teaches treatment protocols, equipment use, and patient selection.
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A clear explanation of the next step. If your findings call for further testing, another type of care, or a surgical opinion, Dr. Boelk explains what led him there.
A Patient Who Travels From the United Kingdom
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“I travel from the UK to see Dr Boelk and his wonderful team . I have 3 bulging disc 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a large herniated disc get better without surgery?
It can. The size is one part of the picture. Your clinician also considers where the herniation sits, how well it explains your symptoms, and whether your strength and daily function are improving.
What if the pain is better but my foot feels weaker?
Report the change in strength promptly. Difficulty lifting the front of the foot, catching your toes, or noticing a change in the way you walk can affect how quickly you need to be evaluated.
What if I’ve already tried physical therapy or injections?
Tell Dr. Boelk what changed and how long it lasted. For instance, you may have been able to sit through dinner after an injection while still experiencing numbness on your usual walk. Both details help guide the evaluation.
Can I come in with just the written MRI report?
Yes. Bring the report and any notes from previous visits. If the imaging center can provide the images or a way to access them, bring that too.
Schedule Your Complimentary Consultation
If a herniated disc or sciatica is still affecting your daily life, call 619-298-0800 to request a complimentary, no-charge, no-obligation consultation with Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC. The practice welcomes Tierrasanta residents at its Kearny Mesa office.
The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego
5095 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92123
Office phone 619-298-0800
Website www.SanDiegoBackCare.com
Live 24/7 Answering Service • Hablamos Español