Herniated Disc Pain? Spinal Decompression Might Be the Solution

Herniated disc pain doesn’t always require surgery. Spinal decompression uses gentle stretching to separate your vertebrae and help herniated material move back into place, taking pressure off compressed nerves. Here’s how it works.

A herniated disc can make even the simplest movements unbearable. Sharp, shooting pain might run down your leg without warning, often accompanied by tingling in your toes, numbness in your foot, or weakness that makes you hesitant to move.

At Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center in Manassas, Virginia, Lincoln German, DC, CPN, and Mikaela Foley, DC, offer advanced spinal decompression therapy to treat herniated discs without surgery.

This noninvasive treatment gently stretches your spine to create space between your vertebrae, allowing the herniated portion of your disc to retract naturally and relieving painful nerve compression.

What happens when a disc herniates

Your spinal discs sit between each vertebra, acting as shock absorbers for your spine. Each disc has a tough outer shell surrounding a soft, gel-like center. When that outer layer develops a weak spot or tear, the inner material can bulge or herniate into the spinal canal.

Most herniated discs develop gradually through wear and tear rather than from a single injury. Years of poor posture, repetitive movements, and natural aging weaken the disc’s outer layer until something as simple as picking up a laundry basket causes it to give way.

Once disc material pushes into your spinal canal, it can compress the nerves running through that area. This nerve compression, called radiculopathy, causes symptoms that travel along the affected nerve’s path. These symptoms include:

Shooting or burning back pain that radiates down your arm or leg
Tingling or “pins-and-needles” sensations
Numbness in specific areas
Muscle weakness that makes certain movements difficult

Your symptoms depend on the disc involved. Herniations in the lower back often cause sciatica, sending pain down the leg. Neck herniations cause pain, tingling, or numbness in your shoulder, arm, and fingers.

How spinal decompression works

Spinal decompression uses controlled, gentle stretching to separate your vertebrae. During treatment, you lie on a specialized table that alternates between stretching and relaxing targeted segments of your spine.

This process creates negative pressure inside the disc — essentially a vacuum effect — which helps pull the herniated material back toward the disc’s center. Reducing pressure on the nerve can significantly decrease pain and improve function.

Spinal decompression also promotes circulation to the area, supporting natural healing that can result in less back and leg pain.

What to expect during treatment

Each spinal decompression session takes about 20 minutes. You lie comfortably on the decompression table while the machine gently stretches and relaxes your spine in a controlled rotation.

Most treatment plans involve several sessions per week over the course of eight weeks, though your timeline depends on the severity of your herniation and how your body responds. Some patients notice relief after just a few sessions, while others need the full treatment course to achieve lasting results.

Living with herniated disc pain has consequences

It may be tempting to push through the pain and hope it resolves on its own. While some herniated discs do improve with conservative care, waiting too long can worsen symptoms and increase the risk of permanent nerve damage.

Compressed nerves cause more than pain — prolonged compression can lead to lasting weakness and sensory changes. The longer a nerve stays compressed, the harder it becomes to reverse the damage.

Spinal decompression addresses the root cause of your symptoms right away. By creating space and pulling the herniated material back into position, the treatment stops nerve compression before it causes irreversible harm.

Find relief from herniated disc pain in Manassas, Virginia

Herniated disc pain can take over your daily life, but surgery isn’t your only option. Our team at Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center develops personalized spinal decompression treatment plans to relieve pain and restore mobility.

Contact our Manassas office or book online to find out if spinal decompression is right for your herniated disc pain.