What Can I Try Before Back Surgery for a Herniated Disc? | La Jolla, CA

If you've been diagnosed with a herniated disc and surgery has been brought up, one of the most reasonable questions to ask is: Is there anything else I can safely try first?

For many patients, there may be. Even spine specialists commonly use a stepwise approach that begins with conservative treatment when the patient's condition allows it. Surgery can become appropriate when those options fail or when neurological or structural findings make waiting a bad idea.

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 who come to Dr. Boelk aren't looking for a miracle or someone to tell them surgery is always wrong. They're looking for an experienced opinion about whether another reasonable non-surgical option still exists.

That's an important distinction.

The goal isn't to avoid surgery at all costs. It's to avoid an unnecessary surgery when an appropriate non-surgical option may still be worth considering—and to recognize when surgery really does need to be part of the conversation.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I Travel From the UK to See Dr Boelk”

“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's review gets to something Dr. Boelk hears frequently from active patients. They aren't necessarily expecting their MRI to look perfect. They want to know whether there is a reasonable way to control the problem, protect their function and continue doing the things that matter to them.

Before You Decide on Surgery, Find Out Whether You Have Another Option

If you're in La Jolla and have been told you have a herniated disc, coming into the office doesn't mean you're agreeing to spinal decompression.

The first decision is simply whether it's worth getting another experienced opinion before making a bigger decision about your spine.

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

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

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

• Ask about weakness and other neurological changes.

• Discuss what you can and cannot comfortably do right now.

• Review physical therapy, chiropractic care, medications, injections 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.

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 personally performs these consultations while continuing to care 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 Tried—and What Actually Changed?

This is where Dr. Boelk likes patients to get specific.

Saying “I tried physical therapy” doesn't tell the whole story.

How long did you do it? What exercises were you doing? Did you become stronger? Did your back pain improve but your leg pain remain? Did certain movements consistently make the symptoms travel farther down the leg?

The same applies to an epidural injection. Did it do nothing? Did it reduce your symptoms for three days? Three months? Did the back pain improve while the numbness remained?

Dr. Boelk wants to know what happened because your response to previous treatment provides information.

Depending on the individual case, conservative options for a herniated disc can include activity modification, appropriate therapeutic exercise or rehabilitation, medications, injections and other non-operative approaches. Major spine centers likewise note that many spinal conditions can initially be managed non-surgically when clinically appropriate.

For selected patients, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be another option to evaluate.

The important part is not simply trying everything on a list. It's determining whether what you're doing is actually moving you in the right direction.

Are You Better Than You Were Three Months Ago?

This is one of the simplest ways to look at it.

Maybe you've been treating the problem for months, but:

• You're walking less.

• You're sitting for shorter periods.

• You're still waking up because of leg pain.

• The numbness is becoming more frequent.

• You've stopped exercising.

• You're taking more medication rather than less.

• You're avoiding golf, surfing, travel or other activities because you're worried about another flare-up.

If your function is steadily improving, that's meaningful.

If your life is becoming more restricted despite everything you've tried, simply continuing the same approach indefinitely may not make sense.

Why Dr. Boelk Wants to See Your Actual MRI

A radiology report may say you have a herniated disc at L4-L5 or L5-S1. But that still leaves several important questions.

Where is the herniation located? Is it affecting a nerve? Does the side and level correspond with your symptoms? Are there other findings such as foraminal narrowing or spinal stenosis? Are some of the abnormalities on the MRI unrelated to what you're currently feeling?

Dr. Boelk prefers to review the actual images whenever they're available and compare them with the patient's history and symptoms.

The words “herniated disc” alone don't determine whether someone needs surgery—and they don't determine whether someone is a candidate for spinal decompression either.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “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

One of the things Dr. Boelk likes about Yuri's story is the return to function. Surfing, jiu jitsu and work had been taken away for six months.

It also shows how Dr. Boelk approaches treatment decisions. Yuri describes being involved in the decision at each stage rather than being promised a predetermined outcome from the beginning.

Could Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Be Worth Trying Before Surgery?

For an appropriate candidate, 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. Dr. Boelk's practice has seven DRX9000 systems, allowing him to work with a large number of disc-related cases while still individually evaluating whether treatment is appropriate.

But having a herniated disc does not automatically make you a candidate.

Before recommending decompression, Dr. Boelk considers things such as:

• Where the disc injury is located.

• Whether the MRI findings match your symptoms.

• Pain, numbness, tingling or burning into the leg.

• Whether neurological weakness is present.

• Whether that weakness is stable or progressing.

• Spinal stability.

• Bone health.

• Previous spinal surgery.

• What treatments you've already tried.

• How you've responded to those treatments.

• Other medical conditions that could affect treatment safety.

Sometimes the conclusion is that decompression is worth considering.

Sometimes it isn't.

When You Shouldn't Keep Trying to Avoid Surgery

Dr. Boelk doesn't believe “avoiding surgery” should become the goal regardless of what's happening neurologically.

There are circumstances where waiting or repeatedly trying additional conservative treatments may not be appropriate.

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 conditions and individual circumstances where a surgical opinion may simply be the appropriate next step.

The question isn't whether surgery is good or bad.

The question is what is appropriate for your condition.

★ An Honest Consultation Can End With “You Need Another Opinion”

“He could not treat me as I have to wait until the fracture in my neck heals.”

“I decided to see Dr. Boelk after a pretty gnarly motocoss neck injury. At the Hospital I was at, I felt I was getting pressured into a surgery which I refused. A friend of a friend referred him after Dr. Boelk successfully treated his broken back.

Dr. Boelk is a compassionate individual who truly cares about his patients. He looked at my MRI images, explained what he saw and potential routes for recovery. He could not treat me as I have to wait until the fracture in my neck heals, but the level of professionalism, compassion, caring and knowledge displayed by him was exceptional.

He also recommended to seek an additional opinion form another neurosurgeon. My experience was that he really cares and he's not someone who would take advantage of the situation someone's in (unlike some other doctors). I will definitely be back and already recommended him to others as well! Thank you Dr. Boelk!”

— Jan H., San Marcos, CA

Jan's case is a good example of why candidacy matters. Dr. Boelk didn't treat him because his fracture first needed to heal and also recommended another neurosurgical opinion.

That's exactly what someone trying to avoid surgery should want: an evaluation designed to determine what makes sense, not simply an automatic recommendation for another 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

His experience with spinal injuries is personal as well. Dr. Boelk suffered an L5 compression fracture at age 16 and later dealt with disc injuries and sciatica himself.

Before You Make a Bigger Decision About Your Spine

If surgery has been recommended, you may ultimately decide that surgery is the right choice.

But if your situation isn't urgent and you're still wondering whether another appropriate non-surgical option exists, getting another experienced opinion can help you make that decision with more information.

You don't have to decide that you want spinal decompression.

You don't even have to decide that you want treatment.

The first decision is simply whether it's worth sitting down with Dr. Boelk, showing him your MRI if you have one and asking:

“Do you think I'm someone you can help?”

If the answer is no, he'll tell you.

If he believes Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be an appropriate option, he'll explain what he sees and why he believes it's worth considering.

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 set aside in 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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