Herniated disc is just a diagnosis.
But every patient with a herniated disc is different. That difference is where real treatment begins.
I learned this lesson clearly when a patient walked into my office with bilateral hand neuropathy. Both hands had been operated on for carpal tunnel syndrome. The surgery made everything worse.
Here’s what everyone else missed: I didn’t just examine his wrists and hands. I examined his neck.
His cervical spine showed herniations and degeneration in the exact areas controlling both arms and hands. The carpal tunnel surgery addressed symptoms, not the source. Once we treated his neck alongside the surgical trauma in his hands using spinal adjustments, shockwave therapy, and class four laser therapy, he finally started feeling better.
The Critical Factor Most Practitioners Miss
When I evaluate someone with a herniated disc, I’m looking for one thing above all: whether their symptoms are only from the herniation, or if other factors are contributing.
This changes everything about treatment.
Research supports this individualized approach. Conservative measures resolve 90% of sciatica cases from lumbar disc herniation. But success depends entirely on treating the right problem in the right patient.
I examine the spine and extremities thoroughly. Then I apply clinical experience and judgment to determine which combination of treatments each person needs.
Sometimes that means spinal adjustments for the herniated segments. Other times it includes addressing trauma from previous failed treatments. Every case requires different modalities at different times.
When Conservative Care Works and When It Doesn’t
I know when to refer patients out. The red flag is symptoms that don’t respond to any movement or position changes.
Take upper back pain that develops after meals. That might be gallbladder referral pain, not a musculoskeletal problem. I send those patients to their primary doctor immediately.
But for appropriate candidates, chiropractic care reduces the need for lumbar discectomy surgery over one and two-year periods compared to other treatments. The evidence is clear when you match the right treatment to the right patient.
Complete symptom resolution is always the goal. The reality is it’s not always possible, depending on the individual patient and their specific situation.
The Timeline Nobody Wants to Hear
Patients ask about timelines. I tell them the truth: there isn’t one universal timeline.
Recovery could take a few weeks or six months. It depends on what they have and how long they’ve had the problem.
Most healthcare providers avoid this answer because it sounds uncertain. I communicate the variability by showing patients their imaging. If someone’s x-rays show decades of degeneration, they understand this won’t be a quick fix.
Visual evidence builds realistic expectations. When patients see their condition, they grasp why healing takes time. Problems that developed over decades can’t improve in weeks.
Working With Other Doctors
I communicate findings to other physicians the same way I communicate with patients. If a problem has existed for decades, it cannot improve in weeks.
Any rational doctor who thinks critically would understand this basic logic.
The specialty doesn’t matter. Success depends on the individual doctor’s open-mindedness to treatments beyond drugs and surgery. Spinal manipulative therapy provides therapeutic benefit comparable to standard medical approaches when integrated properly.
Collaboration works when everyone focuses on patient outcomes rather than territorial thinking.
What Patients Need to Understand
Surgery should be the last option. A herniated disc can be treated conservatively with high success rates when you have a good practitioner.
But here’s what matters most: treating patients holistically. That means addressing the herniation and managing patients emotionally and their expectations.
I provide hope that I might have answers to their problems. I’m not dogmatic in my treatment approach. I keep an open mind to all treatment options and combinations available.
The emotional component matters as much as the physical treatment. Scared, frustrated patients need reassurance alongside clinical care. Fear and anxiety can actually worsen pain perception and slow healing.
Beyond the Diagnosis
The healthcare system often treats herniated discs as if they’re all identical. They’re not.
Each person brings unique factors: their anatomy, injury history, lifestyle, emotional state, and healing capacity. Cookie-cutter approaches miss these crucial variables.
Real success comes from thorough assessment, individualized treatment plans, realistic communication, and collaborative care when needed. It comes from seeing patients as complete humans, not just diagnoses on imaging reports.
That’s how we achieve the high success rates conservative care can deliver. Not through one-size-fits-all protocols, but through treating each patient as the individual they are.
Because herniated disc really is just a diagnosis. The person behind it is what matters.