Alternative Herniated Disc Treatments In Toledo, OH

2865 North Reynolds Road, Suite 170 Toledo, OH 43615

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

2865 North Reynolds Road
Suite 170
Toledo, OH 43615

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Doctors

Dr. Dankert is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine. His practice emphasizes conservative approaches to both acute and chronic musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.

With each of his patients, he utilizes a comprehensive treatment plan including: physical therapy, medication, bracing, and injections of the joints, tendons, and nerves. He is committed to helping his patients maintain an active and functional lifestyle.

He is also a team physician for a local high school, an associate team physician for the University of Toledo Athletics, and works with the Toledo Mud Hens, a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

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Areas treated: Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, Lumbar Spine, Shoulder, Thoracic Spine

Dr. Roger Kruse is a national and international leader in sports medicine and musculoskeletal medicine. He has drawn international attention, and patients have traveled around the globe for treatment.

He is a member of ProMedica Physicians Group and has brought his expertise of regenerative medicine to the Toledo area. For 15 years, he has performed advanced procedures that utilizes ultrasound and fluoroscopy for platelet rich plasma, and orthobiologic injections, with great success.

In Toledo, Dr. Kruse is the Medical Director of the University of Toledo Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. He is the head team physician for the University of Toledo athletics, and he oversees the care of all athletes in 17 sports.

Dr. Kruse’s extensive resume includes serving as a team physician for three Olympic Games (Norway 1994, Atlanta 1996, and Nagano 1998). He also sits on the Sports Medicine and Sports Science Committee for US Figure Skating and regularly travels internationally with the US World Figure Skating team.

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Areas treated: Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, Shoulder

Board certified in family medicine and sports medicine, Dr. Rennels is committed to preventative medicine and disease prevention to help his patients maintain healthy and functional lifestyles.

In addition to primary care, he has a special interest in musculoskeletal and sports medicine. His training in osteopathic manipulation, injections, ultrasound-guided injections, and regenerative medicine treatments allow his patients to reduce pain and improve mobility.

Dr. Rennels practices at both Wildwood Family Practice and Sports Medicine. He is a team physician for local high schools and is an associate team physician at The University of Toledo.

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Areas treated: Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, Lumbar Spine, Shoulder, Thoracic Spine

Dr. Szepiela is dedicated to a conservative approach to treatment. He uses a comprehensive treatment plan, including: physical therapy, medication, joint and spine injections, and stem cell-containing bone marrow concentrate treatments.

Board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine, he has a specialized interest in spinal intervention. Dr. Szepiela co-founded the ProMedica regenerative medicine program, which offers a non-surgical option for treatment of chronic joint pain, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, torn ligaments, and knee, hip, shoulder, back, or ankle pain.

He is also the head team physician of the Toledo Mud Hens, a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and Lourdes University, as well as an associate team physician at the University of Toledo.

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Areas treated: Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, Lumbar Spine, Shoulder, Thoracic Spine

Areas Treated

Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, 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

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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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