Why Does My Sciatica Keep Getting Worse? – San Diego, CA
Patient Experience
“There is not enough room to explain the relief Dr. Boelk has brought to me and my entire family. I found him after a year of sciatic pain. Couldn't play the sports I loved, no hockey, golf or surfing. The pain shooting from my hip to my left foot was to the point of unbearable. I had been visiting chiropractors since I was 18, temporary relief, but nothing consistent. Acupuncture helped a bit, physical therapy was unmanageable. I couldn't get a solid night sleep and didn't care to go on. But Then I met the Dr! I tell people regularly, he saved my life.
It was a regular routine of adjuments and excersises. A change of life patterns but 110% worth every effort. I have since had my wife, daughter, mother, father and multiple friends and clients visit Dr. Boelk. All thanking me for the referral. Last one was my firefighting friend that had horrible sciatica. He is now on the recovery train.
So without a doubt, if you are on the verge of surgery, don't do it until you give this Dr a chance to examine you 1st. He is honest, he will tell you if you are beyond repair.
I trust him with my life and my back. So should you!”
— Jayson Yavorsky, San Diego, CA
Source:
👉 Severe, life-limiting sciatica improved after failing multiple treatments and being close to surgery.
Next Step: Sciatica & Disc Evaluation — Get a Clear Answer First
If your sciatica is getting worse, the problem is usually not that you haven’t tried enough treatments…
👉 It’s that the real cause hasn’t been clearly identified or properly addressed
At our office, we start with a Sciatica & Disc Evaluation, where Dr. Boelk works through your case to determine exactly what is driving your symptoms.
What We Do During This Evaluation
- Review your full history and current symptoms
- Go through what you’ve already tried and how your body responded
- Review any MRI or imaging (if available)
- Explain what is most likely causing your pain
- Identify whether the disc is the primary issue
- Assess for nerve irritation or compression
- Evaluate which movements or positions worsen your symptoms
What We Determine
- Whether your pain is coming from a disc issue
- Whether nerve pressure is present
- Whether you are a candidate for care
- What a customized plan would look like if appropriate
- What realistic expectations should be
- Or if another approach would be more appropriate
⚠️ We do not accept every patient.
Only patients we believe we can genuinely help are accepted into care.
Because of the time required, we reserve a limited number of new patient evaluation appointments each week.
Why Sciatica Sometimes Gets Worse
This is something many patients experience:
- Pain starts mild
- Gradually increases
- Begins traveling further down the leg
- Becomes more constant
In many cases, the underlying issue is:
👉 Ongoing pressure within the spinal disc irritating the nerve
If that pressure continues, symptoms can worsen over time.
Why Many Treatments Don’t Stop The Progression
Most treatments focus on:
- muscles
- inflammation
- temporary relief
But if the source is disc pressure, those approaches may not stop the problem from progressing.
That’s why many people say:
“I’ve tried everything… and it’s still getting worse.”
Experience Matters With Sciatica Cases
At The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego:
Dr. Cassidy Boelk, DC has spent over 20 years focusing on disc-related conditions and nerve pain.
- Certified Spinal Decompression Doctor
- Certified Pain-Free Performance Specialist
- Founder – Spinal Decompression Training Academy
- Over 100,000 spinal decompression treatments performed
- Exclusive use of DRX9000 spinal decompression systems
- One of the only clinics in the region with 7 DRX9000 units
Patients travel from across the U.S. and internationally—including Mexico, the UK, and Spain—to receive this level of care.
What the Research Shows
Clinical research on Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression has demonstrated:
- 90.5% of patients reported pain reduction
- Significant improvement in nerve-related symptoms
- Improved daily function
Source: Military Medicine, 2025 – Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Outcomes
Patient Experience
“I have had a wonderful experience with Dr. Boelk and his staff at the Spinal Decompression and Chiropractic Center of San Diego. They have a great protocol and the best decompression machines. I’ve been to other places with sub par machines and didn’t get any benefit. Dr. Boelk is very attentive and cares about each person, you can see it in how he interacts with everyone. Been undergoing treatment for about 12 sessions now and the sciatica is gone and I’m almost back to normal, didn’t think it would ever heal but even after the first session I had tremendous relief and could sleep mostly pain free for the first time in months. Definitely worth the investment! Thank you!”
— Michael Langsdale, San Diego, CA
Source:
👉 After failed treatment elsewhere, experienced rapid relief and return to normal activity.
Out-of-Town Patient Experience
“My name is Ira Smith. I live in Las Vegas and found out about Dr. Boelk’s program here in San Diego and decided to start treatments with him. I’ve had lower back problems since I was very young. I had aggravated my lower back pretty bad again and usually I could do exercises, chiropractic treatment, rest and this time those things would no longer relieve my pain. I would get the sciatic pain shooting down into my leg and foot and would be pretty bad.
I found out thru my MRI’s that Dr. Boelk went over with me that I had 5 protruding discs. I did not want to get surgery as I have heard and seen that they don’t always work very well at all. I am 2/3 of the way done with Dr. Boelk’s program and I have zero pain. I pretty much go thru my activities with no pain. As I follow the program it has been absolutely fantastic!”
— Ira Smith, Las Vegas, NV
Source:
👉 Severe sciatic pain improved significantly after traveling out of state for care.
Not Everyone Is a Candidate
Spinal decompression is not appropriate for every patient.
“Very nice Dr. and honest! I would definitely recommend anyone who hasn't had metal put in their 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
Source:
👉 You will always be told clearly whether this is the right fit—or not.
Request Your Sciatica & Disc Evaluation
If your sciatica is getting worse and not improving, the next step is to determine what is actually causing it.
📞 Office: 619-298-0800
📱 Call/Text: 619-884-8298
🌐 www.SanDiegoBackCare.com
📍 The Spinal Decompression & Chiropractic Center of San Diego
5095 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92123
👉 Most patients tell us they wish they had done this step sooner instead of continuing treatments that weren’t addressing the real problem.