Condition · Watkinsville & Athens, GA
Herniated Disc
A herniated disc occurs when the softer inner material of a spinal disc pushes through its outer wall and irritates nearby tissue or a nerve root; many cases improve with structured non-surgical care.
Disc herniations are common and do not automatically require surgery. What matters is the size and position of the herniation, whether a nerve is affected, and how your body responds to conservative care.
Our approach combines non-surgical spinal decompression to reduce pressure within the disc, chiropractic care to restore movement to the segments around it, and graded exercise to rebuild support. We monitor neurological findings throughout and refer for surgical opinion when the picture calls for it.
Who this care is usually appropriate for
- Confirmed or suspected disc herniation
- Back or neck pain with radiating limb symptoms
- Patients wanting to explore non-surgical options first
- Recurring disc episodes
Important considerations & when not to proceed
- Cauda equina signs — saddle numbness, bladder or bowel change, severe bilateral leg weakness — are an emergency.
- Decompression therapy is not appropriate for every patient; fractures, certain implants, pregnancy and some conditions rule it out.
This page is general education, not medical advice. If you have a medical emergency, call 911.
What happens at your visit
- 1History and review of any prior imaging
- 2Neurological and orthopaedic examination
- 3Suitability screening for decompression
- 4Report of findings with a defined plan
Frequently asked questions
Can a herniated disc heal without surgery?
Many do improve with conservative care over weeks to months. Surgery becomes a stronger consideration when neurological deficits progress or symptoms fail to respond.
Is adjusting safe with a disc herniation?
Technique selection matters. We use approaches suited to disc patients, including flexion-distraction and low-force instrument adjusting, guided by your examination.
Talk to our team
New patients: call the office or send a request and we will confirm your appointment directly.
Our office
Chiropractic Works
1050 Barber Creek Drive
Building 200
Watkinsville, GA 30677
Office hours
We are open Monday – Friday, including some evening hours.
- Monday
- 8:00am – 12:00pm2:30pm – 6:00pm
- Tuesday
- 8:00am – 12:00pm2:30pm – 6:00pm
- Wednesday
- 8:00am – 12:00pm2:30pm – 6:00pm
- Thursday
- 8:00am – 6:00pm
- Friday
- 8:00am – 12:00pm
- Saturday
- Closed
- Sunday
- Closed
New Patient, Neurofeedback and Decompression appointment times may vary.
Related pages
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression uses a computer-controlled table to apply gentle, cyclic traction to a targeted spinal segment, reducing pressure within the disc so the surrounding tissue has a better environment to settle.
Learn more →Bulging Disc
A bulging disc is a broad outward extension of a disc's outer wall; it is often painless, and when it does cause symptoms it usually responds to conservative care.
Learn more →Sciatica
Sciatica is pain following the sciatic nerve into the buttock and leg; treatment depends on what is irritating the nerve — most often a disc, a narrowed canal or tight surrounding tissue.
Learn more →Request an appointment
Ready to get started?
Tell us what is going on and we will help you choose the right first appointment.
New patients: please call the office or send a request — we will confirm your appointment with you directly.