Degenerative disc · Olathe, Kansas
Nonsurgical Treatment for Degenerative Disc Problems
"Degenerative disc disease" is not a life sentence.
Discs wear with age, and some of them hurt. The evaluation determines whether a worn disc is the reason you hurt and whether nonsurgical treatment is appropriate for it.
- For back or neck pain that flares and settles but never fully leaves
- Seated, nonsurgical treatment that unloads the disc
- Candidacy answered at the first visit
- Refunded in full if you are not a candidate
- 25 years in practice
- 65,000+ treatment visits supervised
- 5.0 on Google · 60 reviews
Sound familiar?
Does this sound like your degenerative disc problems?
Degenerative disc pain rarely stops life, but it edits it. You avoid the activities that flare it, you plan around the bad days, and you assume it will slowly get worse. Many people have carried it for years by the time they ask whether it can be treated.
- An imaging report that says degenerative disc disease or disc desiccation
- Years of low-grade ache with flare-ups
- Stiff mornings, sore after sitting
- You have been told it is age and to live with it
- You are avoiding activities you used to enjoy
Common symptoms of degenerative disc problems
- A chronic, low-grade ache in the low back or neck with periodic flare-ups
- Pain that is worse with sitting, bending or lifting and better with walking or changing position
- Stiffness in the morning or after sitting
- Occasional pain into the hip, buttock or shoulder
- Flare-ups that last days to weeks and then settle
If two or more of these are true, an evaluation is the logical next step. It is the only way to know what is contributing to your symptoms and whether nonsurgical treatment is appropriate.
What degenerative disc problems is
What degenerative disc problems is, and why it keeps coming back
A healthy disc is mostly water and acts as a spacer and shock absorber. Over time — and faster with heavy loading, smoking or injury — the disc loses water, thins and becomes stiffer. The vertebrae sit closer together, the joints behind the disc take more load, and the openings the nerves pass through get smaller. Any of those can hurt; none of them has to.
Between each pair of vertebrae sits a disc. When it's healthy, it's tall and full of fluid, and it holds open the space where a nerve leaves your spine.
Years of sitting, lifting and gravity compress it. It loses water and height, that space narrows, and the nerve gets crowded. That's what sends pain, numbness and tingling down a leg or an arm.
It doesn't fix itself, because discs have no blood supply. They depend on pressure changing as you move — and a compressed disc isn't getting that.
How we treat it
Our treatment gently separates the vertebrae, taking pressure off the disc and giving the nerve room. Repeated over a course of care, that's what gives symptoms a chance to settle.
Degenerative Disc Problems treatment options
Most of the usual approaches manage the symptom. Fewer address the load on the disc.
None of these are wrong, and some of them may be part of your care. The question the evaluation answers is whether something is still loading the disc or the nerve — and whether that is something we can change.
Nonsurgical treatment options for degenerative disc problems
- A graded strength and movement program
- Physical therapy focused on how the trunk supports the spine
- Medication, prescribed by a physician
- Our nonsurgical treatment, which unloads the disc
- Injections or surgical consultation for a minority of patients whose pain does not respond to nonsurgical care
| Usual approach | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rest and ice | Reduces inflammation for a while. Does not change what is loading the disc. |
| Pain medication | Blocks the pain signal. Useful; does not address the source. |
| Injections | Reduces inflammation around the nerve, often temporarily. |
| Physical therapy | Strengthens the muscles that support the spine — valuable, and sometimes not enough on its own when a disc is the driver. |
| Surgery | Removes or fuses tissue. Sometimes necessary. A large step to take before nonsurgical options have been properly evaluated. |
Our approach
Evaluate first. Then treat, measure and adjust.
We focus on nonsurgical treatment for appropriate spine, disc and nerve conditions. Treatment begins with an evaluation so we can determine whether our approach is appropriate for your condition.
- 01
Evaluate
Determine what may be contributing to your symptoms.
- 02
Treat
Begin appropriate nonsurgical treatment if you are a candidate.
- 03
Measure
Track your response to treatment.
- 04
Adjust
Modify the approach based on how you respond.
Why evaluation matters for degenerative disc problems
The phrase on an imaging report tells you what the disc looks like, not whether it is why you hurt or what to do about it. The evaluation identifies which level is symptomatic, whether the pain is coming from the disc, the joints or a nerve, and whether it behaves in a way our approach is suited to.
How we evaluate degenerative disc problems
We examine the spine and the nerves, identify the level and the tissue that reproduces your pain, and compare that with the imaging. If a worn disc is the source and your symptoms are the kind that respond to unloading, we explain the treatment and the measures we will track. If they are not, we tell you and point you to the right care.
When additional medical evaluation is necessary. Back pain with unexplained weight loss, fever, a history of cancer, or pain that is worst at night should be evaluated by a physician before any treatment here. Progressive weakness or bowel or bladder changes need same-day care.
What a treatment visit is like
Nonsurgical — no injections, no incisions. You are seated and reclined, not face-down and not in a harness. Treatment can be directed at the low back or the neck, the settings are set for you, and a visit is short. Whether it is appropriate for you is decided at the evaluation.
Honest about who it's for
It is not for everyone, and no one can promise you an outcome before examining you. For the right patient it takes the load off a painful disc without surgery, and we measure your response rather than assume it. The evaluation is how we find out whether you are that patient.
The first step
Start with an evaluation.
Evaluation + 3 treatment visits
$149
We evaluate your condition, determine whether you are an appropriate candidate, and begin treatment if appropriate. No package. No long-term commitment.
Schedule Your EvaluationIf we determine you are not a candidate, you are refunded in full.
What's included
- A one-on-one consultation about your symptoms, history and what you have already tried
- A focused spine and nerve examination
- Review of any imaging you already have (MRI, CT or X-ray)
- A clear answer on whether our nonsurgical approach is appropriate for you
- Three treatment visits, if you are a candidate
- A written summary of what we found and what we recommend
Plan on about 45 minutes for the first visit. Treatment visits after that are short.
What you'll learn
What you walk out knowing
1What is actually contributing to your symptoms
Not a guess from a report — findings from an examination read alongside your imaging.
2Whether you are a candidate
A straight answer at the first visit. If you are not, you are refunded and pointed to the right care.
3How your body responds to treatment
If you are a candidate, you begin treatment at the first visit and we record your response.
4What we recommend, and why
In writing, after three treatment visits, with no obligation.
Patient reviews
From patients who came in with the same thing.
Every review is a verified Google review of this clinic, quoted as written.
“First time I went in I could barely walk. I literally was able to get around with very little pain after the first treatment. I'm on maintenance now and feel great.”
Jeff I.Verified Google review
“Lower back pain used to make everything harder, and I mean everything. … my whole day to day life is just easier — work, home, all of it.”
Patty R.Verified Google review
“Sciatica had me shifting around constantly, especially sitting for any length of time. … the leg pain's way down and I can actually sit through a meeting or a movie without needing to move.”
Aaron B.Verified Google review
FAQ
Questions about degenerative disc problems
What happens during my first visit?
How much does the initial visit cost?
How does the treatment work?
Do I need an MRI?
Can I bring my MRI?
Do you accept insurance?
How long does treatment take?
Evaluation + 3 treatment visits · $149
Schedule a degenerative disc problems evaluation
Tell us how to reach you and we'll call to find a time. Prefer to talk now? Call (913) 355-5998 or text us.
- Mon – Wed9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Thu9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Fri – SunClosed
If we determine you are not a candidate, you are refunded in full.
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Find out whether we can help with your degenerative disc problems.
Axis Spine & Disc · 1011 E 151st St, Suite A, Olathe, KS