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Herniated & Bulging Disc Treatment

A non-surgical care plan focused on healing the disc itself, for patients with a herniated or bulging disc diagnosis.

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Doctor pointing to a herniated disc on a spine model

Does this sound familiar?

One wrong move and your back was never the same

Maybe it happened lifting something heavy. Maybe you just bent over to tie your shoe and felt something give. Now there is sharp pain in your back or neck, and it shoots into your leg or arm. There might be numbness or tingling that was not there before. Sitting is uncomfortable, coughing or sneezing sends a jolt down your spine, and you are starting to wonder if this is just how life is now. If that sounds familiar, a herniated or bulging disc may be behind it, and it is one of the most common things we treat.

What it is

When the disc's outer layer tears or bulges

A herniated disc happens when a tear in the tough outer layer of a spinal disc lets the softer inner material push out, often pressing on a nearby nerve. A bulging disc extends beyond its normal boundary while that outer layer stays intact. Both can cause sharp or aching back or neck pain, and often radiating pain, numbness, or tingling into the arms or legs. A herniation can come from a single injury or build up over years of wear, and once disc material is pressing on a nerve, rest and painkillers rarely resolve it on their own.

How we treat it

Taking pressure off the disc with non-surgical spinal decompression

Our DRX9000 table gently stretches the spine in a precise, computer-controlled cycle. That cycling creates negative pressure inside the disc, which may take pressure off the pinched nerve and may give the herniated disc a chance to retract and recover. Sessions are non-surgical and drug-free, and most patients describe them as painless and relaxing. Decompression is not right for everyone, which is why every patient gets an evaluation with imaging review first. Individual results vary.

Find out what is causing your disc pain for $21

Our disc evaluation includes a consultation, x-rays, and a trial treatment, so you leave knowing whether non-surgical spinal decompression fits your case.

Book Your $21 EvaluationCall or Text 518-875-2010

Patient stories

Real Google reviews from disc herniation patients

Google review · 5 stars

johan hawley

When I walked in for my consultation I could hardly walk. Later a MRI determined I had two herniated disks in my back. They prescribed a 12 week treatment plan which consisted of two visits a week. I had to admit I was extremely skeptical but something happened when I got through 1/2 way of my treatment and I noticed my symptoms were starting to subside. The bottom of my right foot had been numb for weeks and all of sudden the numbness was gone. When I completed my treatment I didn't have any of the symptoms I walked in with. I believe the treatment help with the healing process of dealing with my herniated disks.

Google review · 5 stars

Paul Sweeney

Started treatment for 4 herniated discs in my back in December 2022 with the Disc Doctors . My pain level was a 10 , I could barely walk across a room without excruciating pain . By mid April I was pain free ! These folks do amazing work ! If you suffer from disc issues the Disc Doctors is the place for you . They truly are miracle workers. I’m still pain free and I haven’t felt this good in years. Great Doctors and great staff. They can fix you . I am living proof.

Individual results vary. These are real, unedited Google reviews from our patients.

Questions patients ask about herniated and bulging discs

Can a herniated disc heal without surgery?

In many cases, yes. Herniated disc material can shrink back and be reabsorbed by the body over time, and many patients recover without an operation. Non-surgical spinal decompression supports that process by gently unloading the disc, creating negative pressure that gives the herniation room to retract. In a 2025 review of 267 DRX9000 patient records published in Military Medicine, 90.5 percent of patients reported pain reduction. Individual results vary, and that study was a retrospective chart review with no control group.

I tried physical therapy and injections and still have back pain. What now?

Physical therapy strengthens the muscles around the spine and injections calm inflammation, but neither is designed to repair the disc itself. If your pain keeps returning after both, the disc may be the driver, and that is exactly the case spinal decompression was built for. The next step is an evaluation with imaging review to confirm whether your disc is a candidate for non-surgical care.

How does spinal decompression with the DRX9000 work?

The DRX9000 is a computerized table that gently stretches and repositions the spine in a precise, controlled cycle. That cycling creates negative pressure inside the disc, which takes pressure off pinched nerves and may give the disc a chance to retract and recover. Treatment is non-surgical and drug-free, and each session lasts under an hour.

How is this different from chiropractic adjustments?

Adjustments restore motion to stiff spinal joints, which helps many people, but a single adjustment cannot hold a damaged disc unloaded long enough for it to heal. Decompression keeps the disc under negative pressure for sustained periods across a full course of sessions. Many of our patients are people who got short-term relief from adjustments and wanted something that addressed the disc itself.

What does sciatica have to do with a herniated disc?

Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis: it means the sciatic nerve is irritated or pinched. A herniated disc in the lower back is the most common cause, when disc material presses directly on a nerve root. That is why sciatica often shows up as shooting leg pain, numbness, or tingling rather than just back pain.

Do I need surgery for a herniated disc?

Most people do not. Surgery is usually reserved for severe or progressive nerve problems, or when months of conservative care have failed. Because surgery carries real risks and a long recovery, it is worth trying non-surgical decompression first. If your case truly needs a surgeon, we will tell you and refer you for a surgical evaluation.

How many decompression sessions will I need?

It depends on the severity of the herniation and how long you have had the problem. Most treatment plans run as a multi-week course of sessions, and we reassess your progress along the way. Your first visit includes an exam and imaging review, after which we map out a plan specific to your disc.

Not sure if your pain is disc-related?

Start with our $21 disc evaluation, or book your appointment directly.

Book Your AppointmentCall or Text 518-875-2010