What Can I Try Before Back Surgery for a Herniated Disc? | Kearny Mesa, CA

If you've been diagnosed with a herniated disc and surgery has been recommended—or even mentioned as the next step—you may be wondering whether there is anything else worth trying first.

For some patients, there is.

The goal shouldn't be to avoid surgery at all costs. There are situations where surgery is appropriate and sometimes necessary. But if your condition is stable and there isn't an urgent neurological reason for surgery, it can make sense to find out whether you still have a reasonable non-surgical option.

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC 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.

Many of the patients Dr. Boelk evaluates aren't starting at the beginning. They've already tried physical therapy, chiropractic care, medications, injections, rest or exercise. Some improved temporarily. Others didn't improve at all.

The important question becomes: what makes sense next?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I Have Had Lower Back Problems for Over 5 Years and Been to 6 Other Doctors”

“I am EXTREMELY happy I did not have surgery and found Dr. Boelk.”

“Dr. Boelk and his team are the best in the business! I have had lower back problems for over 5 years and been to 6 other doctors seeking options other than surgery. I came in early January not able to bend and walking with a limp. By February I was able to bend again with minimal pain and by March I am now able to bend without any pain and am able to walk normally.

I am EXTREMELY happy I did not have surgery and found Dr. Boelk. Trust him and the process and he will get you feeling better. He also said from the beginning that if at any stage in the process he felt like progress wasn't happening he would let me know which was not the case with other specialist I have seen in the past so I appreciate that.”

— Calder Pearce, San Diego, CA

Calder had been dealing with his lower-back problem for more than five years and had already seen six other doctors while looking for an option other than surgery. Just as important, he appreciated knowing that Dr. Boelk would tell him if he wasn't making the progress expected.

That is an important part of trying another non-surgical option. There should be a reason for doing it, and there should be a way to determine whether it's actually helping.

Start With a No-Charge Consultation Before Deciding What to Do Next

If you're trying to avoid back surgery, coming into the office doesn't mean you're agreeing to treatment.

The first step is simply finding out whether Dr. Boelk believes you're an appropriate candidate for the type of care he provides.

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

• Listen to how your symptoms started and how they've changed.

• 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 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 what appears on the MRI with the symptoms you're experiencing.

• Discuss whether further 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.

Don't have an MRI? That's okay. You can still schedule the consultation.

There is no charge and no obligation to begin treatment.

Dr. Boelk performs these consultations himself while also caring for the patients already under treatment in the clinic. Because of the time involved, only a limited number of No-Charge Consultation appointments can be set aside in the schedule.

Once those appointments are taken, 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 Have You Already Tried?

This is one of the first things Dr. Boelk wants to understand.

There's a significant difference between someone who developed sciatica two weeks ago and someone who has been dealing with it for nine months and has already completed physical therapy, taken medications and had an epidural injection.

If you've already tried conservative care, think about what actually happened.

Did physical therapy improve your strength but leave the leg pain unchanged? Did an injection provide substantial relief for several weeks and then wear off? Did chiropractic care help your back pain but not the numbness in your foot? Did rest help temporarily, only for the symptoms to return as soon as you became active again?

Those aren't minor details. They help Dr. Boelk understand how the condition has behaved and what may or may not make sense next.

Are You Actually Improving?

Patients sometimes tell Dr. Boelk they've been treating the problem for months. When he asks whether they're actually getting better, the answer isn't always as clear.

Treatment and improvement aren't the same thing.

A better way to judge what's happening is to look at function:

• Can you sit longer than you could a month ago?

• Can you walk farther?

• Is the pain traveling less distance down your leg?

• Is numbness occurring less frequently?

• Are you sleeping better?

• Are you returning to exercise or normal activities?

• Is your strength stable or improving?

• Are you relying less on medication or other temporary relief?

If those things are moving in the right direction, continuing a conservative approach may make sense.

If they're moving in the wrong direction despite months of treatment, that's important too.

What Does Your MRI Actually Show?

Patients sometimes arrive at the office knowing they have a “herniated disc,” but little else about it.

Where is it?

L4-L5? L5-S1? Is it central, off to one side or extending into the area where a nerve exits? Is there also foraminal narrowing or spinal stenosis? Most importantly, does what appears on the MRI reasonably match what you're experiencing?

Dr. Boelk prefers to review the actual MRI images whenever they're available instead of relying only on the written radiology report.

An MRI can contain several abnormalities at once. Not every finding necessarily explains the patient's current symptoms.

The imaging needs to be considered alongside the history and examination.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I Was One Step Away From Back Surgery”

“For the first time in 10 years, I am completely pain-free.”

“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 tried multiple forms of conservative care and described herself as being one step away from surgery before coming to the office. Her experience doesn't mean every patient can avoid an operation, but it demonstrates why finding out whether another reasonable option exists can be worthwhile.

Could Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Be One of Those Options?

For the right patient, it may be.

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

The clinic uses the DRX9000 exclusively for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression. But owning seven decompression systems doesn't mean Dr. Boelk believes everyone with a disc injury belongs on one.

Candidacy matters.

Before recommending treatment, Dr. Boelk considers:

• The location and nature of the disc injury.

• Your neurological symptoms.

• Whether weakness is present or progressing.

• Your examination findings.

• MRI findings when available.

• Spinal stability.

• Bone health.

• Previous spinal surgery.

• What you've already tried and how you responded.

• Other medical factors that may affect treatment safety.

The goal is to determine whether decompression makes sense for your particular problem, not simply whether your MRI contains the words “herniated disc.”

When Trying to Avoid Surgery Doesn't Make Sense

There is an important difference between exploring reasonable non-surgical options and delaying care when significant neurological problems are developing.

Dr. Boelk doesn't tell patients they should avoid surgery no matter what.

Symptoms that may require prompt medical or surgical evaluation include rapidly progressing weakness, significant neurological loss, new bowel or bladder dysfunction, difficulty urinating, or numbness involving the groin or saddle region.

There are also structural conditions that may make spinal decompression inappropriate.

This is one reason an experienced evaluation matters. Sometimes the best advice is to try another non-surgical option. Sometimes the best advice is to obtain a surgical opinion.

★ Sometimes Dr. Boelk Tells Patients Not to Start Treatment

“But I'm glad I took the time to meet with him. It was very informative all around.”

“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 in hoping spinal decompression might be an option, but the hardware in her back meant she wasn't an appropriate candidate for Dr. Boelk's treatment. She still described the consultation as informative and worthwhile.

That's the purpose of evaluating candidacy before recommending treatment.

22+ Years and More Than 100,000 Spinal Decompression Treatments

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.

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's 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 injuries personally. He suffered an L5 compression fracture at age 16 and later dealt with disc injuries and sciatica himself.

What Is the Problem Already Costing You?

For many patients, the decision isn't really between “surgery” and “no surgery.”

It's about what the condition is already taking away.

Maybe you've stopped going to the gym because every attempt causes another flare-up. You're avoiding golf, surfing or longer walks. You can't sit comfortably through dinner. You're waking up at night because your leg hurts. You're turning down activities because you don't know how your back will respond.

Sometimes those changes happen so gradually that they start to feel normal.

Compare where you are today with six months ago.

If your function is steadily improving, that's encouraging. If your world is getting smaller despite everything you've tried, it may be time to reconsider the approach.

Find Out Whether You Still Have a Non-Surgical Option

If you've been told you have a herniated disc and you're trying to avoid back surgery, you don't need someone to guarantee that surgery will never be necessary.

You need an experienced opinion about whether another reasonable option still exists.

Bring your MRI images and report if you have them. Tell Dr. Boelk what you've tried, what helped, what didn't 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. If he doesn't believe he can help you, he'll tell you.

There is no charge and no obligation to begin treatment.

Because Dr. Boelk personally performs these consultations while continuing to treat 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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