What Can I Try Before Surgery for Sciatica? | Chula Vista, CA

If you've been dealing with sciatica for months and surgery has started coming up in conversations with your doctors, you may be wondering whether there is anything else worth trying first.

For some patients, there may be.

Dr. Cassidy James Boelk, DC sees patients who have already tried physical therapy, medications, chiropractic care, injections or different exercises but still have pain, numbness, tingling or burning traveling into the leg. Some can sit reasonably well but can't walk very far. Others can't tolerate sitting or driving. Some have gradually stopped exercising, traveling or doing things they used to enjoy.

At that point, the question isn't simply, “What treatment haven't I tried?”

It's why the sciatica is still there and whether the condition causing it is something that may still respond to an appropriate non-surgical approach.

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

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

“My sciatca is gone, and I no longer have back pain.”

“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 dealt with sciatica for 10 years and had already tried several different forms of care before coming to Dr. Boelk. She described herself as being one step away from back surgery.

Her experience doesn't mean every patient with sciatica can avoid surgery. It does show why, when the situation allows it, finding out whether another appropriate option exists can be worthwhile before making that decision.

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

If you're trying to avoid surgery for sciatica, this is the first step.

You are not coming in because you've already decided to start spinal decompression. You're coming in to find out whether Dr. Boelk believes he may be able to help you.

The consultation is personally performed by Dr. Boelk, and there is no charge or obligation to begin treatment.

During the consultation, he will:

• Listen to how your sciatica started and how it has changed.

• Go over exactly where the pain, numbness, tingling or burning travels.

• Discuss how long you can sit, stand or walk before symptoms increase.

• Ask about weakness and other neurological changes.

• Review what makes your symptoms better or worse.

• Discuss physical therapy, medications, chiropractic care, injections and 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 additional examination or imaging may be appropriate.

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

• Tell you if he doesn't believe you're an appropriate candidate.

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

No MRI yet? That's okay. You can still schedule the consultation.

The purpose isn't to convince you to start treatment. It's to help answer the question you're probably already asking:

Could there still be a reasonable non-surgical option for me?

Dr. Boelk sets aside time for these consultations himself while continuing to treat his existing patients throughout the week. Because of that, the office can only accommodate a limited number of No-Charge Consultation appointments in the clinic schedule.

When 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.

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Why Is Your Sciatica Still Bothering You?

Sciatica describes symptoms involving the sciatic nerve, but it doesn't tell Dr. Boelk why the nerve is irritated.

A lumbar disc herniation can cause sciatica. So can a disc bulge, foraminal narrowing or spinal stenosis.

The pattern of the symptoms can also be very different from one patient to another.

One person may have severe pain from the buttock into the calf with almost no back pain. Another may primarily have numbness in the foot. Someone else feels reasonably comfortable while sitting but develops leg pain or numbness every time they walk.

Dr. Boelk wants those details.

If you have an MRI, he then wants to see whether what's happening anatomically makes sense when compared with what you're feeling.

What If You've Already Tried Physical Therapy?

Dr. Boelk sees this all the time.

The important question isn't simply whether you completed physical therapy. It's how you responded.

Did your strength improve but the sciatica remain?

Did you improve for a while and then plateau?

Did certain exercises repeatedly cause symptoms to travel farther down the leg?

Did PT help your back pain but not the numbness or tingling?

Or did it help substantially, but the symptoms returned later?

Those are different clinical situations.

Dr. Boelk looks at what you've already tried as part of understanding the problem rather than simply labeling those treatments as successes or failures.

What If You've Already Had an Epidural?

The same thinking applies to injections.

Some patients get significant relief from an epidural. Some get temporary relief. Others notice little or no change.

If your leg pain improved dramatically for two months and then returned, Dr. Boelk wants to know that.

If the pain improved but numbness or weakness remained, that's important too.

The response gives more information about what's happening and can help guide the next decision.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I Can Walk, Run and Exercise Without Any Pain”

“I lost mobility and had difficulty even putting shoes on.”

“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 problem had affected something as basic as putting on his shoes. He later described being able to walk, run, exercise and return to the gym.

That's the kind of change Dr. Boelk looks for when judging progress. Pain matters, but so does what the patient is actually able to do again.

Could Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Be an Option for Sciatica?

For an appropriate patient, yes.

Dr. Boelk commonly evaluates patients with:

• Lumbar disc bulges.

• Lumbar disc herniations.

• L4-L5 and L5-S1 disc injuries.

• Degenerative disc disease.

• Disc-related sciatica.

• Foraminal narrowing.

• Selected cases of spinal stenosis.

The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego uses the DRX9000 exclusively for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression.

But sciatica alone doesn't determine candidacy.

Dr. Boelk considers your symptoms, neurological findings, imaging when available, spinal stability, bone health, previous surgery and how you've responded to other treatments.

Some patients are good candidates.

Others aren't.

Are You Actually Getting Better—or Just Managing Around It?

This is worth looking at carefully if you've had sciatica for several months.

Maybe you say you're doing “okay,” but you're also doing less.

Six months ago you could walk around the neighborhood. Now you stop after 10 minutes because the leg starts hurting.

You've stopped going to the gym because you're afraid of aggravating it.

Long drives have become difficult.

You avoid certain restaurants because you don't know whether the chairs will bother your back.

You turn down trips because sitting on an airplane sounds miserable.

Those adjustments can happen gradually.

Instead of looking only at today's pain level, compare what you can do now with what you could do three or six months ago.

If you're gaining function, that's encouraging.

If you're steadily giving things up despite treatment, it's probably time to reassess what's being done.

When Trying to Avoid Surgery May Not Be the Right Goal

Dr. Boelk doesn't believe every patient with sciatica should keep trying conservative treatment indefinitely.

Rapidly progressing weakness, significant neurological loss, new bowel or bladder dysfunction, difficulty initiating or controlling urination, or numbness involving the groin, inner thighs or saddle region requires prompt medical evaluation.

There are also structural conditions where a surgical opinion may be the appropriate next step even without those emergency symptoms.

The goal isn't to avoid surgery no matter what.

It's to find out whether you have a reasonable non-surgical option before surgery—and to recognize when you don't.

★ Sometimes the Best Advice Is Not to Start Treatment

“We both determined that surgery was my only option to correct my back issues.”

“I found this terrific practice on social media. I followed up and did my own research so I decided to pay them a visit. The place is clean, well organized and run by a very efficient receptionist. I met with the doctor and after a honest and forthright conversation, we both determined that surgery was my only option to correct my back issues. I will return as a customer when the time is right.”

— Jeff J., Tucson, AZ

Jeff traveled from Tucson looking for another option. After reviewing his situation with Dr. Boelk, they determined that surgery was the appropriate direction for his condition.

That's one of the reasons Dr. Boelk believes the consultation should come before the treatment recommendation.

Not everyone who wants to avoid surgery should be treated with spinal decompression.

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

Before You Decide on Surgery for Sciatica

If you've already tried several treatments and surgery is starting to look like the next step, you don't have to make that decision without first finding out whether another appropriate option exists.

Bring your MRI images and report if you have them. Tell Dr. Boelk what you've tried, how you responded and what the sciatica is preventing you from doing.

Then let him answer the question:

Does he believe he can help you?

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

If he doesn't, he'll tell you.

The consultation is personally performed by Dr. Boelk. There is no charge and no obligation to begin treatment.

Only a limited number can be accommodated in the clinic schedule because Dr. Boelk performs these consultations himself while continuing to care for his existing patients.

Call 619-298-0800 and 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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