What does a herniated disc feel like?
Disc injuries
A herniated or bulging disc usually shows up as sharp low back pain plus pain, numbness, or tingling running down a leg. It is worse when you sit, cough, or bend forward. Decompression is the non-surgical treatment: it opens the disc space so the disc can pull back in.
What it usually looks like
- Pain down one leg or arm
- Numbness or tingling
- Worse when sitting or bending forward
- Weakness in a foot or hand
How Dr. Frank treats it
Spinal decompression, flexion-distraction, and a plan mapped out before you start.
Why it happens
What causes disc injuries
Bending and lifting with a twist
The classic disc injury is picking something up while turned to one side. The disc is a fluid center inside a fibrous ring; a load with a twist pushes the center against the back of the ring, and a weak spot bulges or tears.
Years of sitting
Sitting loads the low back discs more than standing does. A desk job or a long commute dries the disc and weakens the ring slowly, so the yard work that finally hurts you was the last straw, not the cause.
Car accidents
The forces in a crash compress and shear the spine at once. Disc injuries after an accident are common and often missed for weeks because the neck or the headaches get the attention first.
What to expect
Visit one, and how long it takes
Your first visit
Dr. Frank examines where the pain runs, which movements make it worse, and how your reflexes and strength compare side to side. That tells him which disc and which nerve, and whether this is a case he can treat or one that needs an MRI and a surgeon first. Most cases start treatment the same day with flexion-distraction, which gently opens the disc space without a manual adjustment.
How many visits
Herniated discs can heal without surgery, and most do. Expect real change in 4 to 8 weeks with decompression and flexion-distraction, with leg symptoms usually improving before back pain does. Dr. Frank maps the plan on visit one and tells you at week three whether it is working.
When it is not a chiropractic problem
See a medical doctor first if you have
- Loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs (cauda equina: go to the ER now)
- Foot drop or rapidly worsening leg weakness
- Unexplained weight loss, fever, or a history of cancer with new back pain
Dr. Frank screens for every one of these on visit one and refers out when he finds them. If any of them is happening right now, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Questions
About disc injuries
Can a herniated disc heal without surgery?
Many do. Decompression takes the pressure off so the disc can recover. It is worth trying before surgery.
Can a car accident cause a disc injury?
Yes, and it is common. It is one of the main reasons to get checked inside the 14-day window even if you feel okay.
What is the difference between a bulging and a herniated disc?
A bulge is the disc pushing outward but still contained. A herniation is the inner material pushing through a tear in the ring. Both can press on a nerve; both can improve without surgery.
Is spinal decompression the same as traction?
Decompression is a computer-controlled pull that cycles on and off so the muscles do not guard against it, which is what makes it work where old-style traction did not.
How do I know if I need surgery?
Worsening weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or no change after a real course of conservative care. Dr. Frank refers to a spine surgeon when he sees those and tells you plainly when he does.
Can I keep working with a disc injury?
Most people can, with changes. Dr. Frank shows you how to sit, lift, and get out of a car in ways that take pressure off the disc while it heals.
The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment, or be reimbursed for payment for any other service, examination, or treatment that is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted fee, or reduced fee service, examination, or treatment.
Reviewed by Dr. Frank Comparetti, D.C. Last updated September 28, 2026.