What Can I Try Before Back Surgery for a Herniated Disc? | Chula Vista, CA

If you have a herniated disc and surgery has been recommended, you may be wondering whether you've reached the end of your non-surgical options.

Not necessarily.

Some patients who come to Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC have already tried physical therapy, medications, chiropractic care or spinal injections. Others have met with a surgeon and were told an operation is an option, but they would prefer to find out whether there is anything reasonable left to try first.

Dr. Boelk has spent more than 22 years working with disc injuries, sciatica and Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression and has performed more than 100,000 spinal decompression treatments. The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego has seven DRX9000 systems and is the largest known Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression clinic in Southern California.

Dr. Boelk doesn't believe the goal should be to avoid surgery no matter what. There are patients who need a surgical opinion and situations where delaying appropriate medical care isn't a good idea.

But there are also patients who may still have a non-surgical option worth evaluating.

The first step is figuring out which group you're in.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The Spinal Decompression Has Relieved All the Pain I Felt in My Lower Back”

“I can walk, run and exercise without any pain.”

“I have been seeing Dr. Boelk since November for my back pain due to disc herniation. I lost mobility and had difficulty even putting shoes on. The pain was interfering with my everyday lifestyle. After reviewing the X-ray results, we agreed upon a treatment plan. Agreeing to this treatment plan was the best choice I've made for my back pain. The spinal decompression has relieved all the pain I felt in my lower back. I can walk, run and exercise without any pain and I'm able to get back in the gym and continue my daily routines. The office staff are very friendly and caring as well. I highly recommend Dr. Boelk's office to anyone seeking exceptional care.”

— Paul C

Paul's disc herniation had affected his mobility enough that even putting on his shoes had become difficult. What stands out in his review isn't simply the change in pain. It's that he describes returning to walking, running, exercising and his normal gym routine.

For Dr. Boelk, those functional changes are important. If you're trying to decide whether another treatment is working, what you're able to do often tells you more than a pain score alone.

Find Out Whether You Still Have a Non-Surgical Option

If you're coming from Chula Vista because you're trying to avoid back surgery, scheduling a consultation doesn't mean you're agreeing to spinal decompression.

The purpose is to find out whether Dr. Boelk believes you're someone he may be able to help.

During your No-Charge Consultation, Dr. Boelk will personally:

• Listen to how the problem started and how it has progressed.

• Discuss where your back or leg pain, numbness, tingling or burning travels.

• Ask about weakness or changes in neurological function.

• Review what makes your symptoms better or worse.

• Discuss what the problem is preventing you from doing.

• Go over physical therapy, medications, injections, chiropractic care or other treatments you've already tried.

• Review your actual MRI images and report if you have them.

• Compare the MRI findings with the symptoms you're experiencing.

• Discuss whether additional examination or imaging may be appropriate.

• Determine whether Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be an option.

• Tell you if he does not believe you're an appropriate candidate.

• Answer your questions and explain what he believes makes sense as the next step.

If you don't have an MRI yet, that's okay. You can still schedule the consultation.

There is no charge and no obligation to begin treatment.

Dr. Boelk personally performs these consultations while also caring for his existing patients. Because of the time involved, the office can only set aside a limited number of No-Charge Consultation appointments during the clinic schedule.

Once those appointments are filled, new patients are offered the next available openings.

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

What Can You Actually Try Before Surgery?

There isn't a universal checklist that every patient with a herniated disc should work through before considering surgery.

The appropriate options depend on the injury, your symptoms, neurological findings, imaging and what you've already tried.

Depending on the individual case, non-surgical approaches may include activity modification, appropriate rehabilitation or exercise, chiropractic care in selected cases, medications or injections through the appropriate medical provider, and Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression for patients who are good candidates.

But Dr. Boelk is less interested in whether you've checked a treatment off a list than in what happened when you tried it.

If you completed physical therapy, did your function improve? If you had an injection, how much did it help and for how long? If you've been doing exercises at home for three months, is the leg pain moving out of your foot and back toward the spine, or is it traveling farther down the leg?

Those details can help determine whether your current approach is moving in the right direction.

Treatment and Improvement Aren't the Same Thing

This distinction becomes particularly important when someone has been dealing with a herniated disc for months.

You may have been receiving treatment the entire time but still be gradually changing your life around the problem.

Ask yourself:

• Can you walk farther than you could a few months ago?

• Can you sit longer?

• Are you sleeping better?

• Is the pain traveling less distance down your leg?

• Is numbness occurring less often?

• Is your strength stable or improving?

• Have you returned to exercise or normal activities?

• Are you taking less medication or relying on fewer temporary measures?

If those things are improving, that's encouraging.

If they're getting worse despite everything you're doing, simply continuing the same treatment indefinitely may not make sense.

Bring the Actual MRI if You Have It

A patient may arrive knowing only that the MRI showed “a bad herniated disc.”

Dr. Boelk wants considerably more information than that.

Where is the herniation? Which direction is it going? Is it contacting or compressing a nerve? Does that nerve correspond with the pain, numbness or weakness you're experiencing? Are there additional findings such as foraminal narrowing or spinal stenosis?

Dr. Boelk prefers to review the actual MRI images whenever they're available rather than relying solely on the written report.

The MRI doesn't make the treatment decision by itself. It needs to be considered along with the patient's symptoms, history, neurological function and examination findings.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I Will Not Go to Anyone Else for Back Treatment”

“It really helps keep me in my active life.”

“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

Lisa travels from the United Kingdom for care and describes having three bulging discs, including one affecting a nerve. For her, the important outcome is being able to remain active.

Patients have traveled to Dr. Boelk's office from outside San Diego and even outside the United States, but distance isn't what determines candidacy. Dr. Boelk still needs to determine whether the condition is appropriate for the treatment he provides.

Could Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Be Worth Considering?

For the right patient, yes.

Dr. Boelk evaluates patients with disc bulges, disc herniations, degenerative disc disease, disc-related sciatica, foraminal narrowing and selected cases of spinal stenosis.

His clinic uses the DRX9000 exclusively for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression. With seven DRX9000 systems, The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego is the largest known Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression clinic in Southern California.

But the number of machines isn't what determines whether treatment is right for you.

Before recommending decompression, Dr. Boelk considers:

• Your history and how the injury occurred.

• Where your symptoms travel.

• Neurological findings.

• Whether weakness is present or progressing.

• MRI findings when available.

• Spinal stability.

• Bone health.

• Previous spinal surgery.

• Treatments you've already tried.

• Your response to those treatments.

• Other medical factors that may affect safety.

Having a herniated disc doesn't automatically make someone a candidate for decompression.

When Surgery May Need to Remain Part of the Conversation

Trying to avoid surgery makes sense when there is a reasonable and safe non-surgical option to try.

Avoiding surgery simply because you're afraid of it is different.

Rapidly progressing weakness, significant neurological loss, new bowel or bladder dysfunction, difficulty urinating, or numbness involving the groin or saddle area requires prompt medical evaluation.

There are also structural problems and individual circumstances where Dr. Boelk may believe a surgical opinion is the appropriate next step.

He would rather tell someone that than treat a patient he doesn't believe belongs in his office.

★ “Just Not in My Personal Case”

“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 came to the office hoping Dr. Boelk might be able to help but wasn't an appropriate candidate because of the hardware in her back. She still felt the consultation was worthwhile.

That's one of the reasons Dr. Boelk offers the consultation before someone commits to care.

Sometimes the most useful thing he can do is tell you that his treatment isn't the right option.

More Than 22 Years Focused on Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC has more than 22 years of experience with Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression and has performed more than 100,000 spinal decompression treatments.

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

Dr. Boelk also understands spinal injury from the patient's side. He suffered an L5 compression fracture at age 16 and later dealt with disc injuries and sciatica himself.

What Are You Losing While You Wait?

This doesn't mean you should rush into any treatment.

But it is worth looking at what the herniated disc is already changing.

Maybe you haven't surfed or golfed in six months. You stopped going to the gym. You're declining longer walks with your family. You can't sit through a movie comfortably. You're planning every drive around how long your leg can tolerate the car.

Sometimes patients don't realize how much they've given up because the changes happened gradually.

Compare today with six months ago.

If you're clearly improving, that's important. If you're doing less and less despite months of treatment, that's important too.

Before You Make a Decision About Surgery

You don't need someone to promise you that surgery can always be avoided.

You need an experienced opinion about whether you still have a reasonable non-surgical option.

Bring your MRI images and report if you have them. Tell Dr. Boelk what you've already tried and what the problem is preventing you from doing.

If he believes you're a candidate for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, he'll explain why and what he recommends.

If he doesn't believe he can help, he'll tell you that too.

There is no charge and no obligation to begin treatment.

Because Dr. Boelk personally performs these consultations while caring for his existing patients, only a limited number can be worked into the clinic schedule.

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

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

619-298-0800
SanDiegoBackCare.com

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