Herniated disc · Olathe, Kansas
Nonsurgical Treatment for Herniated Discs
A herniated disc does not always mean surgery.
If you have been told you have a herniated disc, the next question is whether nonsurgical treatment is appropriate for you. An evaluation answers that.
- Built for disc problems that have not responded to rest, medication or therapy
- Seated, nonsurgical treatment — no injections, no incisions
- You find out whether you are a candidate at the first visit
- If you are not a candidate, you are refunded in full
- 25 years in practice
- 65,000+ treatment visits supervised
- 5.0 on Google · 60 reviews
Sound familiar?
Does this sound like your herniated disc?
Sitting through a drive or a workday becomes something to plan around. Sleep gets interrupted. Lifting a child, a bag of groceries or a golf bag feels risky. Exercise stops, and the deconditioning that follows tends to make the back feel worse, not better.
- Pain that runs from your back into a leg, or from your neck into an arm
- Sitting is worse than standing, or the reverse
- Numbness or tingling in one limb
- An MRI report that says herniation, protrusion or extrusion
- Treatment that helped for a while and then stopped helping
Common symptoms of herniated disc
- Back or neck pain that is worse with sitting, bending or coughing
- Pain that travels into the buttock, leg or foot (lumbar) or the shoulder, arm or hand (cervical)
- Numbness, tingling or a "pins and needles" feeling along one limb
- Weakness in a leg or arm, or a foot that catches when you walk
- Symptoms that shift with position — better standing, worse sitting, or the reverse
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 herniated disc is
What herniated disc is, and why it keeps coming back
The discs between your vertebrae have a firm outer ring and a softer center. A herniation means the center has pushed through a weakened part of the ring. On its own, that is not always painful — many people have herniations they never feel. It becomes a problem when the displaced material presses on or inflames a nearby nerve root, or when the disc itself becomes a pain source.
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.
Herniated Disc 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 herniated disc
- Activity modification and a specific, graded return to movement
- Physical therapy focused on the muscles that control spinal load
- Anti-inflammatory medication or an epidural steroid injection, prescribed by a physician
- Our nonsurgical treatment, which gently separates the vertebrae to take pressure off the disc and the nerve
- Surgical consultation when there is progressive weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, or when a well-run nonsurgical course has not helped
| 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 herniated disc
A herniation on an MRI does not, by itself, tell anyone what to do. The same image can belong to someone with no pain at all and to someone who cannot sit for ten minutes. Treatment decisions depend on which nerve is involved, whether the findings on examination match the picture, how long it has been going on, and how it is responding to load. That is what an evaluation is for.
How we evaluate herniated disc
We take a careful history, examine the spine and the nerves that leave it, and review any imaging you already have. We are looking for agreement between your story, the examination and the picture. When the pattern fits, we explain what we would treat, how, and how we would measure whether it is working. When it does not fit, we tell you that and point you to the right next step.
When additional medical evaluation is necessary. New weakness that is getting worse, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or any change in bowel or bladder control needs same-day medical evaluation, not an appointment here. Pain after a significant fall or accident should be imaged first.
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.
“Foot pain from sciatica used to flare up bad just from standing too long. … that pain's way down now — I can stand and walk around without it acting up, which was the whole reason I came in for the herniated disc.”
Clairelle W.Verified Google review
“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
“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 herniated disc
Do you treat herniated discs?
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Do I need an MRI?
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Do you accept insurance?
Evaluation + 3 treatment visits · $149
Schedule a herniated disc 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 herniated disc.
Axis Spine & Disc · 1011 E 151st St, Suite A, Olathe, KS