What Can I Try Before Surgery for Sciatica? | San Diego, CA

If you've been dealing with sciatica for months and you've already tried physical therapy, medications, chiropractic care, injections or exercises without getting where you want to be, it's reasonable to wonder what options are left before surgery.

For some patients, there may still be a non-surgical option worth evaluating.

Sciatica isn't a diagnosis by itself. It's a group of symptoms that can develop when a nerve in the lower back becomes irritated or compressed. A disc bulge or herniation is one common cause, but foraminal narrowing, spinal stenosis and other problems can produce similar symptoms.

That distinction matters because the right treatment depends on what's actually causing your sciatica.

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 patients who come to Dr. Boelk aren't trying to prove that surgery is wrong. They simply want to know whether there is another reasonable option to consider before making that decision.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “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 dealt with sciatica for 10 years and had already tried several different approaches before finding Dr. Boelk. Her experience doesn't mean every patient with sciatica can avoid surgery, but it's a good example of why it can be worthwhile to find out whether another appropriate option exists before making that decision.

Start With a No-Charge Consultation With Dr. Boelk

If surgery has been mentioned because of your sciatica, the first decision doesn't have to be whether you want spinal decompression.

It can simply be whether it's worth getting another experienced opinion.

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

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

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

• Ask about weakness or other neurological changes.

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

• Review what makes the 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 the MRI findings with your symptoms.

• Discuss whether further 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 a consultation.

There is no charge and no obligation to begin treatment.

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

Why Hasn't Your Sciatica Gone Away?

This is one of the first things that needs to be figured out.

Sciatica can improve with time and appropriate conservative care, but when symptoms continue for months, Dr. Boelk wants to know why.

Maybe the nerve is still being irritated by a disc herniation. There may be narrowing around the opening where the nerve exits the spine. There may be central spinal stenosis. In other cases, the symptoms may not be coming from the problem the patient was originally told was responsible.

This is why simply moving from one treatment to another without reassessing the problem can become frustrating.

If you've already spent months treating sciatica and you're not improving, it may be time to look again at the diagnosis, your neurological symptoms, your imaging and how you've responded to everything you've already tried.

What If Physical Therapy Hasn't Helped?

Physical therapy can be very helpful for many people with sciatica, and Dr. Boelk doesn't view someone having tried PT as a reason to criticize the treatment.

He wants to know what happened.

Did you get stronger but the leg pain remained? Did your back improve while the numbness in your foot didn't change? Did certain exercises repeatedly send the symptoms farther down your leg? Did you improve initially and then reach a plateau?

Those details matter.

The same is true if you've tried chiropractic care, medications or a home exercise program. Dr. Boelk isn't just checking boxes to see what you've tried. He's looking at how your condition responded.

What If an Epidural Helped—but the Sciatica Came Back?

This is another common history.

A patient may tell Dr. Boelk that an epidural injection gave them significant relief, but several weeks or months later the symptoms returned.

That response is useful information.

For some patients, an injection may be part of an appropriate treatment plan. For others, the question becomes what to consider when the relief doesn't last or when repeated injections aren't producing the improvement they hoped for.

That's where looking at the entire history becomes important.

How long did the injection help? Which symptoms improved? Did the leg pain improve but the numbness remain? Has your walking tolerance changed?

The goal isn't simply to find the next treatment. It's to understand what's happening.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I Could Get Back to Surf, Jiu Jitsu and Work”

“After 36 sessions I felt I was back to normal.”

“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

Yuri had experienced sciatica for several months, had tried other non-invasive treatments and pain medications, and had been away from surfing, jiu jitsu and work for six months. His description of getting those activities back is exactly why Dr. Boelk pays attention to function, not just a pain number.

Could Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Help Your Sciatica?

If your sciatica is related to an appropriate disc or spinal condition, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression may be an option worth evaluating.

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 clinic uses the DRX9000 exclusively for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression.

But a diagnosis of sciatica does not automatically make someone a candidate.

Dr. Boelk considers the pattern of your symptoms, neurological findings, MRI when available, spinal stability, bone health, previous surgery and what you've already tried before recommending treatment.

That's one reason he prefers to evaluate patients before talking about a treatment plan.

Pay Attention to What Your Sciatica Is Taking Away

Pain naturally gets most of the attention, but Dr. Boelk also wants to know what has changed in your life.

Six months ago, maybe you could walk for 30 minutes before your leg bothered you. Now it's 10.

Maybe you used to sit through a two-hour dinner or movie without thinking about it. Now you're constantly changing positions or standing up.

Maybe you've stopped working out, golfing, surfing or traveling because you're worried about aggravating the nerve.

Those changes can happen gradually enough that you begin adjusting your life around the sciatica without realizing how much you've given up.

If you're clearly improving, that's meaningful.

If your world is becoming smaller despite months of treatment, that's meaningful too.

When Sciatica May Need a Surgical Evaluation

There are times when continuing to search for another conservative treatment is not the right move.

Dr. Boelk doesn't believe surgery should be avoided regardless of the circumstances.

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

There are also patients whose imaging, examination or structural condition makes a surgical opinion appropriate even without those emergency symptoms.

The goal isn't “never have surgery.”

The goal is to determine whether you have a reasonable non-surgical option before surgery—and recognize when you don't.

★ Sometimes the Right Recommendation Is Not Spinal Decompression

“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, the conclusion was that surgery was the appropriate direction for his back problem.

That is an important part of an honest consultation. Dr. Boelk isn't trying to turn every person who wants to avoid surgery into a spinal decompression patient.

Experience Matters When You're Considering Your Options

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's experience with spinal injury is personal as well. 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 been dealing with sciatica for months and surgery is starting to enter the conversation, you don't need someone to tell you what you want to hear.

You need to know whether another reasonable option still exists.

Bring your MRI images and report if you have them. Tell Dr. Boelk what you've already tried, what helped, what didn't and what you're no longer able to do because of the sciatica.

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 also treating 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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