The Provo Disc Recovery Program
Non-surgical care for herniated, bulging, and degenerative discs. Spinal decompression and Class IV laser therapy, guided by doctors with fellowship training in spinal biomechanics and MRI interpretation.
Free MRI review by Dr. McClean. No obligation. If you are not a candidate, we will tell you.
Told you need surgery? Get the full picture first.
If you have a disc herniation and you are weighing surgery, injections, or just living with it, you deserve an honest answer about whether non-surgical care can work for your specific disc. Not a sales pitch. An answer based on your actual imaging.
Many disc patients respond well to a structured program of decompression, laser therapy, and corrective care. Some do not, and the difference is visible in the imaging and the exam, if the doctor reading them knows what to look for. All three of our doctors hold fellowship training in spinal biomechanics and trauma. Dr. Matt McClean is completing advanced postdoctoral training in neuroradiology and musculoskeletal MRI interpretation. When we say we will read your MRI and give you a straight answer, that is a credentialed promise.
Our Disc Recovery Program combines diagnosis, non-surgical decompression, Class IV laser, and corrective care to treat the cause of disc pain in Provo, not just the symptoms.
What the program combines
1. Diagnosis first: MRI review and motion X-ray
Before any treatment, we confirm what is actually wrong. We review your MRI, take motion X-rays when indicated, and perform a full physical exam. Disc programs that skip this step are treating a guess.
2. Non-surgical spinal decompression
Computer-controlled decompression gently unloads the injured disc, creating negative pressure that helps retract herniated material and draw in nutrients. Read the full evidence page, including MRI-confirmed disc reduction in published case work.
3. Class IV laser therapy
Deep-tissue laser reduces inflammation and accelerates tissue repair around the injured disc and irritated nerve root. Decompression addresses the mechanics. Laser addresses the inflammation. How laser therapy works.
4. Corrective care and rehab
Discs fail under abnormal load. We correct the movement patterns and spinal mechanics that overloaded the disc in the first place, so the result lasts after the program ends.
How we differ from franchise disc centers
You may have seen heavy advertising from national disc-center franchises offering decompression and laser. We offer both technologies too. The difference is what surrounds them.
| Question | Franchise disc center | McClean Spine Care |
|---|---|---|
| Who reads your MRI? | Often the treating chiropractor with standard training | A doctor with fellowship training in spinal biomechanics, completing postdoctoral MRI interpretation training |
| Motion X-ray available? | Rarely | Yes, on site |
| If you are not a candidate? | Many sell the package anyway | We tell you, and refer you to the right specialist |
| Payment | Large prepaid cash packages are common | We work with insurance where it applies, and you pay as you are treated |
| Track record | Franchise locations come and go | One family, one building, since 1965 |
7 questions to ask before starting any disc program
- Who will actually read my MRI, and what imaging training do they have?
- Will you take motion X-rays to check for instability before applying traction to my spine?
- What happens if the evaluation shows I am not a candidate?
- Do I have to prepay for a package before my first treatment?
- Will you coordinate with my medical doctor or surgeon if I need one?
- What published evidence supports your protocol?
- How long has this clinic operated in this community under this ownership?
Ask us these questions. Then ask them anywhere else you are considering. We are comfortable with the comparison.
Are you a candidate?
The program is typically a fit for: MRI-confirmed disc herniation or bulge, sciatica or arm pain from nerve compression, degenerative disc disease, and patients told to wait and see or to consider surgery who want to exhaust conservative options first.
It is not a fit for: severe instability or fracture, cauda equina symptoms, certain post-surgical situations, and some severe stenosis cases. This is exactly why the evaluation comes first. If decompression is not safe or not likely to help you, we will say so and point you to the right next step.
Two ways to start
Have an MRI already? Send it for a free review and get an honest read on candidacy.
No MRI yet? Come in for an exam and we will determine what imaging you actually need.
Or call 801-373-1035 and ask about the Disc Recovery Program.
McClean Chiropractic, 385 N 500 W, Provo. Serving all of Utah County.
More From Our Spine Education Library
Articles from our fellowship-trained doctors on the topics above:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Disc Recovery Program?
It is a step-by-step plan: confirm the diagnosis with imaging, relieve pressure on the disc with decompression, support healing with laser, and rebuild stability with corrective care.
Can a herniated disc heal without surgery?
Many do. With the right non-surgical care, disc pain often improves and surgery can sometimes be avoided. We give you an honest assessment of whether you are a candidate.
How is this different from a regular chiropractor?
Our doctors are fellowship-trained in spinal biomechanics and read your MRI and motion X-ray themselves. The program is built around what your imaging actually shows.
How long is the program?
It runs over several weeks, with the exact length based on your disc, your symptoms, and your progress, which we measure throughout.
What if I have already been told I need surgery?
A non-surgical trial is often reasonable before an irreversible step. We review your imaging and give you a straight answer, including referral if surgery is truly the best option.
Phase two: make the recovery permanent
After the Disc Recovery Program resolves the disc, our computerized spine stability program retrains the deep muscles that protect it, with instrumented testing that proves your spine is stable before you are discharged.