Herniated Disc
A herniated disc refers to a problem with one of the discs that sit between your vertebrae in your spine. These discs are made of cartilage and act as shock absorbers preventing damage to your spine. Composed of a soft jelly-like center (nucleus pulposus) and tougher exterior (annulus fibrosus), a herniated disk occurs when some of the soft parts of the disc push through to the outside from a tear in the outside of a disc. A herniated disc can occur anywhere and place pressure on nearby nerves resulting in pain, numbness, or muscle weakness in other areas of the body.
Conservative treatments such as over-the-counter medication, physical therapy, and modifying activities can often relieve symptoms after several days or a few weeks. In cases that don’t improve, the traditional treatment involves masking pain with steroid shots or prescription pain medication and muscle relaxers. Neither treatment addresses why the symptoms are occurring in the first place and don’t help your body to heal. If you are unresponsive to these options, surgery may be recommended.
At Dr. Steve Derrington, we approach these types of injuries from a very different direction, working with your body to reduce pain from the herniated disc and nerve irritation by helping the nerve and disc function better and potentially reducing the size of the herniation. These procedures work to heal your body with a fraction of the downtime and without irreversible changes after surgery.
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 herniated 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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