Have you been told you have a slipped, bulging or herniated disc? Disc injuries range from slight to severe, and most need a trained chiropractor’s attention. Dr. Kalay’s exam works out which disc is involved and how far it has gone, then helps you choose the care options that fit you.
Sounds familiar?
Each disc between your vertebrae has a tough outer ring and a soft, gel-like center. Discs cushion the bones so they don’t touch as you move. When the outer ring weakens, the gel can push outward and press on the nerves nearby.
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Most disc damage starts with wear and tear on the outer ring. Some bulging is part of a disc’s normal aging, which is why bulging discs are so common.
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Bending, lifting, twisting and even sitting too long all load the same discs, day after day.
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A bulging disc can stay quiet and unnoticed until you twist the wrong way, lift the wrong object, sneeze or cough.
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A sudden injury can tear the supportive ligaments around a disc, and the disc can herniate through the tear.
Care starts with an exam: your reflexes, muscle strength and sensation along the nerve pathways, plus an X-ray or MRI if it’s needed. From there, Dr. Kalay builds the plan around the disc involved, including the leg pain of sciatica when a disc presses on the nerve, and walks you through it before anything begins.
For the disc
The DRX9000 is a computer-controlled system that targets specific discs. It gently stretches and relaxes the spine in timed cycles, creating negative pressure inside the disc to take pressure off pinched or irritated nerves, without surgery or medication. Most patients find it relaxing, and there’s no recovery time afterward.
How it worksFor the spine and joints
Gentle, usually painless adjustments to the spine around the injured disc. Nothing is forced back into place; care works with the disc over time.
How it worksFor pain and inflammation
Therapeutic light sent deep into the injured area to calm inflammation and support the body’s own repair. It’s painless, with no downtime.
How it worksWhere every plan starts
A consultation and exam to find the cause, then a plan you understand before care begins. Your first consultation is complimentary.
Reviewed by
Dr. Gurj Kalay, DC
Doctor of Chiropractic, Palmer College of Chiropractic West (2014)
General information, not medical advice. Your own exam decides your care.
Discs don’t actually slip; “slipped disc” is a common name for a bulging one. In a bulging disc, the tough outer layer hasn’t broken open, but the disc pushes past the space it should occupy and can press on nearby nerves. In a herniated disc, the outer layer ruptures and the gel-like center pushes outward. The most severe kind, an extrusion, is when the gel balloons well outside the vertebrae or breaks off from the disc.
Often, yes. Even an acute disc bulge can heal over time, and care is aimed at helping that happen more efficiently. How each disc responds varies, and if Dr. Kalay finds at any point that you need a spinal surgeon, he will refer you.
No. Chiropractors don’t force a disc back into place, and a few quick treatments won’t fix a disc injury. Care uses gentle, usually painless techniques and works over time, often alongside spinal decompression on the DRX9000.
Most patients find it relaxing and comfortable. The DRX9000 moves slowly between a gentle pull and rest, and it eases off if your muscles start to tense. There’s no recovery time, so you can go straight back to your day.
It depends on the disc and how long the problem has been there. After your exam, Dr. Kalay recommends a number of sessions and walks you through the plan before you start, so you know the commitment up front.
Get emergency medical care right away for new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, numbness around the groin or inner thighs, or weakness that is quickly getting worse. Those signs shouldn’t wait for a chiropractic appointment.
DRX9000 spinal decompression, adjustments and laser therapy for disc injuries, all under one roof on Century Park Drive. The clinic serves Yuba City, Marysville, Live Oak, Gridley, Plumas Lake, Olivehurst, Wheatland and Colusa.
Call or book online. Your first consultation with Dr. Kalay is complimentary.
New patient? Send the new patient form and the team will contact you to set up your first visit.
New patient special437 Century Park Dr Ste A · Yuba City, CA
