Herniated Disc Treatment
Herniated Disc Treatment Starts Here
A herniated disc happens when the soft center of a spinal disc pushes outward and irritates nearby structures—sometimes causing back or neck pain, and sometimes radiating pain, numbness, or tingling. At Mountain View Pain Center, we help identify what’s driving your symptoms and build a plan to reduce pain and restore function.
Common Herniated Disc Symptoms
Localized neck or back pain
Pain that radiates into the arm or leg (depending on the level)
Numbness, tingling, or “pins and needles”
Burning or electric-like pain
Weakness in the arm/hand or leg/foot
Pain that worsens with bending, lifting, coughing, or sneezing
Stiffness and reduced range of motion
Symptoms that change with sitting vs standing or certain positions
Common Causes and Risk Factors
Repetitive bending, lifting, twisting, or heavy loading
Sudden strain or awkward lift
Prolonged sitting and poor posture
Reduced core/hip strength and stability
Degenerative disc changes over time
Prior injury or flare-ups
Limited mobility in the hips or upper back increasing spinal stress
When to Seek Urgent Care
Seek urgent evaluation if you have new or worsening weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, saddle numbness, severe unrelenting pain after trauma, fever/chills, or rapidly worsening numbness/tingling.
How We Evaluate a Herniated Disc
We start by identifying whether your symptoms are consistent with disc irritation and whether a nerve may be involved. Your visit may include a review of your symptom pattern, movement testing, and assessment of the spine, hips, and surrounding muscles. If you have radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness, we may perform a basic neurologic screen. We also check for red flags to determine whether imaging or referral is appropriate.
How We Treat Herniated Disc Symptoms
At Mountain View Pain Center, our multidisciplinary team combines evidence-based care to relieve pain and restore motion:
Pain Management
Targeted diagnostic injections and image-guided procedures when appropriate to reduce inflammation and calm irritated nerves or joints.
Physical Therapy
Movement-based care to improve mobility, reduce nerve irritation, and rebuild core/hip stability.
Chiropractic Care
Hands-on care to improve joint motion and reduce tension, with techniques selected based on your symptoms and comfort.
Acupuncture
A natural option to support pain relief and relaxation, often combined with your broader plan.
Treatments We Commonly Recommend
Core stabilization and graded strengthening
Mobility and movement retraining
Manual therapy and joint mobilization
Nerve mobility work when appropriate
Ergonomic coaching for sitting, lifting, and sleep setup
Image-guided injections (when appropriate)
Home program to reduce flare-ups and build consistency
Home Care & Quick Relief
Stay gently active (short walks, light movement) and avoid long periods of rest
Ice for 10–15 minutes at a time, especially during flare-ups
Avoid heavy lifting/twisting until symptoms calm
Supportive sleep positioning (pillow under knees for back sleepers; pillow between knees for side sleepers)
Take movement breaks if you sit for long periods
Where We Treat Herniated Disc
Mountain View Pain Center runs 22 clinics, and every one of them has pain management, physical therapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture in the same building — so if herniated disc needs more than one kind of care, you do not get handed off to another practice.
Colorado:Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Lakewood, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Northglenn, Lafayette, Greeley, Fort Collins.
Arizona:Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria.
No referral is needed in either state. Find your nearest clinic on the full clinic map, or call Colorado (720) 749-5599 or Arizona (602) 325-2024.
Most Herniated Discs Heal Without Surgery
This is the fact that should shape your expectations. The body reabsorbs much of the herniated material over time, and large studies show the majority of patients recover well with conservative care alone. Plenty of entirely pain-free people have disc bulges visible on MRI — the image on its own does not decide the treatment. Your symptoms and your examination do.
What that means in practice is a sequence rather than a single decision. Time, activity modification and targeted physical therapy come first. If leg or arm pain persists, an image-guided epidural or transforaminal injection can settle the inflammation around the nerve root and often buys the window in which rehabilitation finally works. Surgery — usually microdiscectomy — is reserved for progressive neurological deficit, or for pain that has genuinely failed a well-run course of conservative care.
Red Flags That Change the Plan
A lumbar herniation typically causes back pain plus radiating leg pain, with possible numbness, tingling or weakness. A cervical herniation causes neck pain radiating into the shoulder, arm or hand. Pain often worsens with sitting, bending, coughing or sneezing. Seek care immediately rather than waiting if you develop loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or weakness that is getting worse rather than better. For a fuller comparison of the options, see injection versus surgery for a herniated disc.
Herniated Disc FAQs
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Many disc-related flare-ups improve over time with the right plan. Our goal is to reduce irritation and help you return to normal movement safely.
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Sciatica describes nerve symptoms down the leg; a herniated disc is one possible cause. We evaluate symptom patterns to determine what’s most likely.
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Not always. If symptoms suggest a need for imaging, we’ll help guide the next step.
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It depends on symptoms and severity. Many patients benefit from a coordinated plan that may include PT, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and—when appropriate—pain management procedures.
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Usually no. We typically recommend the right kind of movement and progression based on your symptoms.
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Often, no. Some insurance plans require a referral or authorization—if you’re unsure, we can help verify.
Related Resources
Related Conditions
Sciatica & Nerve Pain
Numbness & Tingling