Herniated Disc
Relief
That sharp pain shooting down your leg or arm, the numbness or tingling, the ache that gets worse when you sit or bend — it may be a disc. Conservative, non-surgical chiropractic care that targets the cause, right here in UTC.
What a Herniated Disc Actually Is
Between each pair of spinal bones sits a disc — a tough outer ring with a soft, gel-like center that acts as a cushion. When the outer ring weakens or tears, that soft center can push out (a bulge) or break through (a herniation). If it presses on a nearby nerve, you feel it — often not just in your back, but radiating down an arm or leg.
The good news: most disc herniations do not need surgery. The body can reabsorb disc material over time, and conservative care — decompression, soft tissue work, and targeted movement — relieves the nerve pressure and supports that healing. The goal here is to calm the irritated nerve, take pressure off the disc, and get you moving again without going under the knife.
It Rarely Stays In One Spot
Disc pain has a signature: it travels. Here's what patients most often describe.
Radiating pain
Sharp, electric, or burning pain that shoots from the low back down the leg (sciatica) — or from the neck down the arm. Often worse than the back pain itself.
Numbness & tingling
Pins-and-needles or numbness in a specific part of the leg, foot, arm, or hand, following the path of the affected nerve.
Worse with sitting or bending
Prolonged sitting, bending forward, coughing, or sneezing spikes the pain — all of which increase pressure on the disc.
Weakness or heaviness
A leg or arm that feels weak, heavy, or unreliable — a sign the nerve is being meaningfully compressed and worth evaluating soon.
When it's an emergency: Loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin or inner thighs, or rapidly worsening weakness in both legs are red flags for a serious condition — go to the ER immediately, not a chiropractor. These are rare, but they matter.
Discs Don't Just Happen to Older Backs
Disc herniations show up across every kind of patient in San Diego — not just the stereotype.
Desk & tech workers
Years of sitting load the lumbar discs. A herniation often surfaces after one ordinary bend or lift — the disc was already under strain.
Lifters & gym-goers
Deadlifts, squats, and rounded-back lifting are classic triggers. Care here keeps you training while the disc settles.
Athletes & weekend warriors
Rotational sports, running, and surfing can aggravate a disc. We tailor care to the demands of your activity.
Anyone after an injury
A fall, a car accident, or a single bad lift can herniate a disc at any age. Early conservative care often prevents it from becoming chronic.
Take Pressure Off the Nerve
Every visit follows the same purposeful sequence — built to decompress the disc and calm the nerve, not just crack and go.
E-Stim + Moist Heat
Calms muscle guarding and increases circulation to the area before any hands-on work begins.
Spinal Traction / Decompression
Gentle, hands-on traction on the Hill Autoflex table creates space between the vertebrae — reducing pressure on the disc and the nerve it's irritating. This is the core of disc care.
Soft Tissue Therapy
Releases the tight, protective muscles surrounding the injured segment so the spine can move more freely.
Gentle Adjustment + Home Plan
A careful adjustment tailored to a disc patient — never forced — plus the specific movements and positions that help (and the ones to avoid) between visits.
Honest expectations: Conservative care can't guarantee a herniation disappears, and severe cases sometimes need imaging or a surgical opinion. But for most disc patients, a course of decompression-based care meaningfully reduces pain and helps avoid surgery. Dr. Loewenstein gives you a realistic estimate at your first visit — and refers out when that's the right call.
Herniated Disc FAQs
Stop Bracing Around the Pain.
Same-week appointments available. Most major insurance accepted. 5151 Shoreham Place, Suite 175, UTC — free parking on-site.
Recommended Stretches & Exercises
Targeted routines to relieve symptoms and support your recovery between visits. Always ease in — stop anything that sharpens your pain.