Herniated Disc Chiropractor in Sandy Springs, GA
Herniated Disc care in Sandy Springs, GA
A herniated or bulging disc sounds final. It is not. Many disc bulges show up on scans of people with no pain at all, and many painful disc herniations settle with the right conservative care and time. What decides the plan is not the scan word — it is your examination: where the pain travels, whether strength and reflexes are affected, and how you are progressing week to week. At Excel Chiropractic we stage disc care carefully and refer promptly when a disc problem needs a medical or surgical opinion.
Signs and symptoms we assess
Common causes and contributors
- Disc wear and loss of height with age
- Lifting with a rounded, loaded spine
- Sudden strain or twisting injury
- Prolonged flexed sitting postures
- Previous disc episodes and deconditioning
No single cause explains every case. Two people can describe the same pain and need different plans, which is why the examination — not the symptom list — decides what we do.
What care looks like at Excel Chiropractic
- Full neurological examination — strength, reflexes, sensation — at the first visit and at re-checks
- Gentle, position-based care; movements are chosen by what eases your leg pain, not by habit
- Activity staging: walking programmes, lifting limits, and sitting breaks
- Clear progress markers and a defined point at which we arrange imaging or referral if you are not improving
- Coordination with your medical doctor or surgeon with your permission
Care at Excel is structural and specific: find the joints and tissues that are not doing their job, restore movement where it is restricted, calm the tissues protecting the area, and give you the smallest set of home changes that will actually hold the result. We re-examine at set points rather than continuing indefinitely without evidence of change. If we find something outside chiropractic scope, we will say so and help you get to the right provider.
What happens at your first visit
Your first visit is an examination visit, not a sales pitch. We start with your history: when this began, what makes it better or worse, what treatment you have already tried, and what it is stopping you from doing. Then we examine movement, joints, muscles, and nerve function as they relate to your complaint, and explain what we found in plain language before any care begins. You will leave knowing what we think is going on, what we recommend, how long we expect it to take, what it will cost, and when we will re-check whether it is working. If your case needs imaging, medical care, or a different specialist first, we will tell you that on day one. Book through the Schedule page with the $21 New-Patient Special: Get your Chiropractic Evaluation, Report of Findings, AND a Graston Soft-Tissue Treatment Session for Only $21! The special does not include a massage.
What helps between visits
Progress is rarely made in the treatment room alone. Between visits, the patients who do best keep moving within the limits we set, apply the home guidance consistently rather than intensely, and pay attention to patterns — what time of day symptoms peak, which activities reliably provoke them, and which reliably help. Write those patterns down and bring them in. They often tell us more about what is driving your problem than a single pain score, and they let us adjust the plan on evidence instead of guesswork. If something we recommended flares your symptoms for more than a day, tell us rather than pushing through it.
When to get checked promptly
Get urgent care for disc symptoms with new bladder or bowel problems, saddle numbness, or leg weakness that is progressing. These can signal a surgical emergency.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need surgery for a herniated disc?
Most herniations do not end in surgery. Progressive weakness, bladder or bowel signs, or pain that fails a proper course of conservative care are the usual reasons for a surgical opinion — and we will tell you if we see them.
My MRI shows a bulge. Should I be worried?
Bulges are extremely common on scans of pain-free people. We treat your examination and symptoms, not the scan alone, and we will explain what your images do and do not mean.
What exercise helps a disc problem?
Walking is the most reliably helpful starting point for most disc patients. Specific exercises depend on which direction eases your pain, which we test in the clinic before prescribing them.
Related pages
By Dr. Ben Cohen, DC, Excel Chiropractic — Last reviewed: October 27, 2026
Disclaimer: This page provides general information only and is not medical advice. It does not replace an examination or advice for your individual situation. If you have severe, worsening, or urgent symptoms, seek prompt medical care.
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