Bulging Disc
Between each vertebra of your spine are discs, which act as cushions or shock absorbers for your spine. Each disc is composed of a sturdy outer wall of cartilage with a soft, gel-like inner core. When we are born, these discs are primarily composed of water, but as age advances, the discs dehydrate becoming thinner and causing the cartilage to stiffen. As you might imagine, this means each disc doesn’t absorb the shocks of everyday life as well.
These changes in your disc can cause the disc to bulge out or protrude and press against nearby nerves which can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from numbness and tingling, sharp, shooting, or achy pain, or muscle cramps. These can lead to difficulty with normal activities.
Treatment for bulging discs can range from lifestyle adjustments such as improving diet and exercise routines or adjusting sleeping and sitting positions. Pain management will depend on the severity of your condition. Treatments often begin with anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, acupuncture, and injection. In more severe cases, surgical options may be explored.
At our office, we offer minimally invasive treatments utilizing our body’s natural ability to heal, resulting in pain relief and improved function. In combination with the treatment, we recommend specific rehabilitation exercises and often formal therapy to improve strength, mobility, and endurance, allowing for maximal benefit from the procedure.
Three Steps From First Call to a Treatment Plan You Can Act On
Step 1 — Check Your Eligibility
Send us your imaging and tell us what is going on. We review your radiology at no cost and tell you honestly whether an image-guided, non-surgical approach is worth exploring for your condition.
Step 2 — Schedule Your Consultation
A full evaluation with advanced ultrasound and MRI review. Regenexx consultations average a full hour: complete history, hands-on examination, imaging review and a real diagnosis explained in plain language.
Step 3 — Start Your Healing Plan
If you are a candidate, your physician builds a personalized plan around your diagnosis: Regenexx bone marrow concentrate or platelet procedures, supported by therapies such as prolotherapy and MLS laser, with follow-up at six to eight weeks.
Other spine conditions we treat
The treatments behind these procedures
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01
Regenexx procedures — bone marrow concentrate and advanced platelet procedures, placed under image guidance.
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02
Platelet Rich Plasma — concentrated platelets from your own blood, for tendon and ligament damage and mild arthritis.
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03
Prolotherapy — for ligament laxity and joint instability.
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04
MLS Laser Therapy — non-invasive pain and inflammation control, often alongside the above.
Which one fits your case is decided at the evaluation, from your imaging and the tissue involved — not from a web page.
Find out whether we can treat your bulging disc
Send your imaging ahead
If you already have an MRI or X-ray, upload it before your visit and Dr. Derrington will review it in advance.
Two offices
Carlsbad and Laguna Hills, serving San Diego and Orange County.
Or call us directly at (760) 721-4000 - Carlsbad Office or (760) 721-4000 - Laguna Hills Office
Ready to Find Out If a Non-Surgical Approach Could Work for You?
Call us to schedule an in-office or telehealth appointment, or fill out the form and our team will reach out. We will ask about your condition, explain which options may apply, and tell you honestly whether an evaluation makes sense.
If we are not the right fit for your condition, we will tell you — and try to point you in the right direction.
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