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Disc bulges & herniations
Told you've got a disc bulge?
A disc bulge on a scan sounds alarming. What matters is how your back and the nerves around it are actually behaving. That's what we check.
Web special
- Adjusting spines
- 35 years
- In Mornington
- 15 years
- 256 Google reviews
- 4.9 out of 5 stars
- Health funds
- HICAPS
Sound familiar?
What it often feels like.
- Deep low back or neck pain, often one-sided
- Pain into the buttock and leg, or the shoulder and arm
- Worse bending forward, sitting or lifting
- Coughing or sneezing sets it off
- Pins and needles or numbness further down
Common causes
Where it often comes from.
- Sudden load: lifting, twisting, a fall
- Repeated bending and sitting over years
- Normal wear in the discs as we get older
- Work, sport and posture that load the same area
- Often a mix of several of these
Often it's a mix. Finding your mix is what your first appointment is for.
How we find out
Before we touch anything, we check.
- 01Your storyWhere it hurts, how it started, what makes it better or worse, and the old accidents and injuries.
- 02A thorough checkChiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological testing: movement, joints, muscles, reflexes, sensation and strength.
- 03Posture picturesDigital posture pictures from the front and side, so you can see what we see.
- 04AnswersX-rays only if your check points to them, then a report of findings in plain English, before care starts.
What care involves
A plan you understand, built around you.
Discs don't "slip". The soft centre can push outward and irritate nearby joints and nerves. Plenty of people have disc bulges on scans and no pain at all, so we treat the person, not the picture.
Bring any scans you have. We'll check your spine and nerves, and care may include specific adjustments, our flexion-distraction table lets us gently and repeatedly move the low back through a controlled range, which suits many disc and nerve-related low back problems. Plus movements that load your back the right way.
If we can't help, we'll tell you. No runaround, and no being kept on the books for the sake of it.
In the meantime
Three things you can do today.
MRI, CT or X-ray reports help. Email them before your visit or bring them along.
A small rolled towel behind your low back can make sitting easier.
Gentle walking is usually better than resting for long periods.
General information only. Your chiropractor will tailor advice to you at your appointment.
How it works
Three steps. No guesswork.
- 1TodayBook online or callPick a time online in about a minute, or call 03 9787 8518. No referral needed.
- 2DiscoveryNew patient appointmentWe find out what's wrong and whether we can help: your story, posture pictures, and a thorough check of your spine and nerves.
- 3You get answersReport of findings appointmentWhat we found, in plain English, and what we'd do about it. If we can help and you haven't already had your first adjustment, today's the day.
What people say
Don't take our word for it.
2025 WinnerQuality Business Awards: Best Chiropractor in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula"I cannot speak highly enough of the staff here … Dr Ben was so patient and answered all my questions without rushing me out the door … the clinic itself is just beautiful and welcoming."
"Such a friendly practice … [Dr Ryan] is fantastic at making you feel comfortable."
"It's rare to find a place that takes this much time to go over your history … the whole team makes you feel right at home."
Excerpts from Google reviews, about people's experience of the clinic. They are not claims about results, which vary from person to person. Read all 256 reviews on Google →
Web special
Book online today. Pay $125, not $195.
The same new patient appointment, the full Discovery, for $70 less when you book it here on the website.
- 30–40 minutes with Dr Ryan Tan or Dr Ben Carvosso
- Your story and health history, start to finish
- Digital posture pictures, so you can see it for yourself
- A thorough chiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological check
- Foot scans, if you need them
- HICAPS on the spot: your health fund rebate comes off at the desk
Usually $195
$125
You save $70 by booking online
Book online for $125Nothing to pay now. Pick a time in about a minute, then pay on the day.
New practice members only. One per person. Not with any other offer.
Can a chiropractor help a bulging disc?
Many people with disc bulges are cared for by chiropractors. We'll assess you first, and tell you straight whether we can help and what it would involve.
Do I need an MRI first?
No. If you have one, bring it. If your check suggests imaging would change the plan, we'll tell you.
What is flexion-distraction?
A specialised table that gently and rhythmically moves the low back. It's commonly used for disc and nerve-related low back pain.
More than a sore spot
Your spine talks to your brain.
The muscles around every vertebra are packed with sensors that tell your brain where your body is and how it's moving. When a joint stops moving well, that conversation breaks down, and pain is one of the signals. That's why we check your spine and nerves, not just where it hurts.
A 2026 review of 10 brain-imaging studies in people with disc herniation and chronic low back pain linked spinal manipulation with changes in prefrontal and default-mode brain networks. What that means clinically is still being studied, which is why we check you thoroughly first.
Related
Often seen alongside disc bulge.
Done with disc bulge?
Book a new patient appointment and find out what's going on. HICAPS on the spot, free parking at the door.
$195$125Web special · save $70 when you book online
- Pick your chiropractor and a time that suits
- Nothing to pay now, $125 on the day
- HICAPS on the spot · Free parking
Booked.
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12/1140 Nepean Hwy, Mornington. Free parking at the door. Wear something comfortable you can move in.
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