Herniated Disc
Non-surgical spinal decompression removes the compressive load on the disc — creating the environment your body needs to heal itself.
What Is a Herniated Disc?
A herniated disc — also called a slipped disc or ruptured disc — occurs when the soft, gel-like center of a spinal disc (the nucleus pulposus) pushes through a tear in its tough outer ring (the annulus fibrosus). When that displaced material presses against a nearby spinal nerve, the result can range from local back or neck pain to sharp, radiating pain, numbness, and weakness that travels into the arms or legs.
Herniated discs are most common in the lumbar spine (lower back) and the cervical spine (neck), and they are one of the most frequent causes of sciatica. Many patients in Ocean and Monmouth County are told surgery is their only option — but for the majority of herniated disc cases, non-surgical treatment can achieve lasting relief.
Why Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Works for Herniated Discs
Most treatments for herniated discs — pain medication, steroid injections, physical therapy — address the pain signal without changing the mechanical environment the disc is trying to heal in. Your spine is still under compressive load. The disc is still compressed. And a disc under constant compression is a disc that can't recover.
DRX spinal decompression is the only conservative treatment that directly reduces the load on the affected disc. Using computer-controlled protocols, it precisely distracts the targeted spinal segment and reduces intradiscal pressure below atmospheric levels — the only treatment modality where this has been directly measured in vivo (Ramos & Martin, 1994).
That unloading creates the conditions your disc has been waiting for. With compression removed, the cyclical pumping effect through the vertebral endplates allows the disc to draw in moisture and restore lost hydration — a process called convective fluid exchange. Over a structured course of treatment, each session reinforces this cycle: unload, rehydrate, recover — creating the environment where your body's own repair processes can get to work and get you out of pain.
Learn More About DRX Spinal Decompression →Are You a Candidate for Spinal Decompression?
Decompression therapy may be right for you if your herniated disc involves any of the following:
- Herniated or bulging disc confirmed by MRI or X-ray
- Pain, numbness, or tingling radiating into the arms or legs
- Symptoms that haven't resolved with rest, medication, or physical therapy
- Desire to avoid surgery or epidural steroid injections
- No prior spinal fusion at the affected level
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Fischer to find out whether you're a candidate and get a personalized plan.
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