Alternative Herniated Disc Treatments In Idaho Falls, ID

The discs in your spine are the shock absorbers between your vertebrae (spinal bones). They have a tough outer covering called the annulus fibrosus that encases a soft, gel-like substance called the nucleus pulposus. 

A disc herniation happens when the outer covering is ruptured and the gel escapes the disc. This causes the disc to put pressure on and irritate the spinal nerve roots or spinal cord, leading to pain around the area of the disc (localized pain) and causing pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness to radiate to the arms and legs (radicular pain).

Herniated discs are sometimes referred to as slipped or ruptured discs. However, they are not the same as a disc bulge or protrusion, where the gel-like material is still contained within the disc.

Medical illustration showing a normal or healthy spinal disc and a herniated spinal disc side by side.
Anatomy of a normal spinal disc vs. a herniated spinal disc side-by-side.

More conservative treatment options include acupuncture, physical therapy, prescription medications, and high-dose epidural steroid injections. While steroid injections can temporarily help the pain, they can cause severe side effects and reduce your body’s ability to heal.

If none of these work, the next course of treatment is usually back or neck surgery that cuts away a portion of the disc. However, this approach can leave the disc weaker and more likely to be injured again. The final option is often an extremely invasive spine surgery (spinal fusion) in which two vertebrae are permanently joined together with hardware.

Studies have shown that in the majority of cases herniated discs (also known as slipped or ruptured discs) the pain will go away on its own. The key is staying comfortable and being able to remain active while that happens.

However, a smaller percentage of people experience severe and longer-lasting pain. 

Our nonsurgical treatments for herniated disc problems can offer relief from lower back, buttock, and leg pain and numbness and tingling in the feet or legs. Downtime is a fraction of what it is with surgery and generally requires little or no opioid pain medications or time off of work.

Regenexx PL-Disc: Avoiding the harmful side effects of epidural steroids and back surgery

2635 Channing Way
Idaho Falls, ID 83404

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Doctors

Her goal as a physician is to restore people to as close to optimum health as possible. She is passionate about the evolution of regenerative medicine and believes in the body’s innate capacity for healing. And she is equally passionate about her home in southeastern Idaho.

Though she initially graduated with a BA in English, she was eventually drawn to medicine, feeling called to help people toward health and healing. So she went back and completed the science requirements to earn a BS as well.

As someone who enjoys skiing, ultrarunning, and wandering through the wilderness herself, she has a particular interest in treating athletes of all ages and enjoys helping masters athletes continue to perform at a high level into their later years of athletics. And she served as team physician for the University of Utah men’s ice hockey team.

Additionally, she has traveled to Nepal for a high-altitude research project close to Mt. Everest base camp, as well as Denali to serve as physician at the 14,000-foot base camp during climbing season.

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As a physician, Dr. Cooper’s mission is to assist in the improvement of function to anyone that feels physical limitations and allow them to enjoy their life to the fullest capacity. Though he began his college education in business administration, during his senior year of college, he discovered that the reward of assisting others with their ailments was his real passion.

He has had extensive training in the treatment of a wide variety of limitations that include spasticity secondary to neurologic issues, sports injuries and concussions, and non-surgical treatment of peripheral nerve and joint injuries. He is passionate about providing top-of-the-line treatment to his patients to improve their functional abilities and give them more freedom to enjoy day-to-day life.

Throughout his life, Dr. Cooper has enjoyed participating in sports of a wide variety from football, baseball, and golf to water skiing and snowboarding. As a “weekend warrior” athlete, he has always had an interest in human anatomy and how small alterations in it can lead to massive functional changes.

He feels lucky to get to return to the Snake River Valley, as he believes it is the perfect place to raise his four children with the same principles that he had in his childhood.

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I became a doctor because of my desire to serve and help those in need. I wanted a career that allowed me to help those within my community and establish personal connections with people. My mission is to assist in the restoration of function of those who have limitations to allow them to enjoy life to their fullest capacity. I believe the best way to care for my patients is to have them fully involved in their care and to have a shared decision making in their treatment plan and to address all concerns or questions to empower my patients to take charge of their own health and journey to a better life.

I recently returned to Idaho Falls in July of 2022 after completing fellowship and have been practicing medicine within the community since arriving. I however was born and raised in Idaho Falls and am excited to return to the community I was raised in and serve the great people of this area.

I have extensive training in treatment of a wide variety of limitations secondary to neurologic issues, sports injuries, non-surgical treatment of peripheral nerve and joint injuries, neck and low back pain and nerve related pain. I’m passionate about providing the highest quality care and top of the line treatment for my patients. I’m proud to be a part of the North American Spine Society, Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic and am board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

I enjoy participating in several sports and outdoor activities including tennis, basketball, baseball, backcountry snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling, boating, and mountain biking. I’m married with four children and our dog and we thoroughly enjoy being outside and enjoying all that southeast Idaho has to offer.

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Areas Treated

Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Hip, Knee, Lumbar Spine, Shoulder, Thoracic Spine

*This provider is NOT authorized by Regenexx to treat the C0-C1 or C1-C2 levels of the neck or CCI (craniocervical instability).

Below are MRI images of the outcome of a patient who had a Regenexx PL-Disc procedure to treat a subligamentous disc herniation. After the procedure, their pain dropped quickly, and they returned to their normal activities within weeks.

Scroll the arrow to the right to see the MRI of the disc before the Regenexx PL-Disc procedure — the white/lighter area indicates damage. Scroll to the left to see the MRI of the disc after. The images are two years apart from the original treatment date.

Herniated disc before and after MRI images 1

Herniated disc before and after MRI images 2

Older man working on laptop, smiling, looking at screen, drinking tea.

Join Chris Centeno, MD, founder of Regenexx, to learn how Regenexx procedures can help treat your herniated disc without surgery and lead to a faster recovery.

During this free webinar you’ll learn:

  • How procedures using bone marrow concentrate (BMC) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) compare to surgery and other spine pain treatment options
  • Procedure expectations
  • Answers to the most common questions about regenerative medicine treatments
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