Is Chiropractic Herniated Disc Treatment Safe for Older Adults in Centennial?
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By Butler Family Health Center · Published 2026-10-30 · Last updated 2026-10-30
Chiropractic herniated disc treatment carries a low risk of serious harm for most older adults in Centennial, provided it starts with a full exam and the technique fits your bones, your medicines and your symptoms. A large study found that serious problems after spinal manipulation were very rare.
What shapes your plan is personal: bone density, blood thinners or steroids, numbness or weakness in a leg, and any recent fall. At Butler Family Health Center, Dr. Chris Butler has been a chiropractor since 1996 and treats patients of every age, seniors included. Our page on herniated disc treatment in Centennial explains the care itself.
How Safe Chiropractic Herniated Disc Treatment Is for Older Adults in Centennial
Chiropractic herniated disc treatment for older adults in Centennial rests on safety data that is reassuring, though it was not gathered only from seniors with disc problems. A large study reviewed 960,140 spinal manipulation sessions given to 54,846 patients at 30 chiropractic clinics in Hong Kong from 2017 to 2022. It recorded 39 adverse events, and only 2 were severe, a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 sessions. No strokes and no cases of cauda equina syndrome were reported. The authors described severe events as "reassuringly very rare".
One detail matters for older readers. Both severe events were rib fractures in women over 60 who had osteoporosis. That is why bone health is one of the first things we ask about.
A 2017 chiropractic research review reached a similar view: "Among older adult chiropractic patients recent studies indicate no evidence of higher risk for serious adverse events." Its authors are chiropractic researchers, and few studies look only at older adults with herniated discs.
For a retiree coming in from Southglenn or Castlewood, the first visit starts with an exam before any adjustment.
Do Herniated Discs Still Happen After 65 in Centennial?
Herniated discs still happen after 65, though they become less common with age. A single-center study of 601 patients over 65 found that "the incidence of LDH drops with age in the elderly, especially after the age of 80 years." The low back levels L4-L5 and L5-S1 were the most common sites. LDH stands for lumbar disc herniation, a slipped disc in the low back.
So a disc can still be the reason a walk on the High Line Canal Trail or a loop around DeKoevend Park has started to hurt. The exam sorts out whether a disc is behind the pain and whether anything points to a medical doctor first.
What Dr. Butler Checks Before Treating an Older Adult's Disc in Centennial
Before treating an older adult's disc in Centennial, Dr. Butler needs a clear picture of your health, because the conditions that change chiropractic care rarely show on the outside. Tell us about each of these when you call or at your exam:
- Osteoporosis or low bone density, and any past fractures.
- Blood thinners or long-term corticosteroid medicines.
- Numbness, tingling or loss of strength in an arm or leg.
- A history of stroke, a high stroke risk, or cancer in the spine.
- A recent fall or other injury.
- Any MRI or X-ray reports you already have.
Mayo Clinic, as quoted by AARP, lists severe osteoporosis, numbness, tingling or loss of strength in an arm or leg, high stroke risk and spinal cancer among the cases where an adjustment is not recommended. When one of these comes up, the exam decides whether a gentler approach fits or whether a medical doctor should see you first.
Our article on what to bring to your first herniated disc appointment has the full list.
How Osteoporosis and Blood Thinners Change Disc Care for Centennial Seniors
Osteoporosis and blood thinners change disc care for Centennial seniors mostly by changing how much force is used. AARP reports that with osteoporosis a chiropractor "may use a gentler technique or lighter force during the adjustment." People on blood thinners or long-term corticosteroids, AARP adds, should have a light-pressure adjustment to avoid bleeding and bruising. The 2017 review goes further: higher-force manual techniques that may strain bone are contraindicated in severe osteoporosis and other bone-weakening conditions.
| Your situation | What it can change | What to tell us |
|---|---|---|
| Osteoporosis or low bone density | Lighter force or a gentler technique; higher-force thrusts are ruled out when it is severe | Your latest bone density result and any fractures |
| Blood thinners | Light pressure to avoid bleeding and bruising | The medicine name and dose |
| Long-term corticosteroids | Light pressure, for the same reason | How long you have taken them |
| New numbness, tingling or weakness | A medical check may come before any adjustment | Where you feel it and when it began |
| A significant fall | The emergency room comes first | When and how you fell |
Where to start, by situation:
- If you have osteoporosis and disc pain is cutting short your errands at The Streets at SouthGlenn, then book an exam with us so the technique is matched to your bones from the first visit.
- If your back flared after a hard fall at home in Greenwood Village or Cherry Hills Village, then go to the emergency room first and book with us once you have been cleared.
Which Gentle Methods Suit an Aging Spine in Centennial?
The gentle methods that suit an aging spine in Centennial depend on what the exam finds. Lighter force is the approach AARP and the 2017 review point to for patients with thin bones. Our office also offers spinal decompression, Remy Class IV laser and shockwave therapy. Dr. Butler decides after the exam whether any of them fits your disc.
The 2017 review also recommends that older adults be prescribed exercise.
Disc Symptoms That Send an Older Adult to the Emergency Room First
Some disc symptoms send an older adult to the emergency room first, ahead of any chiropractic appointment. The most serious is cauda equina syndrome, which Cleveland Clinic calls a medical emergency. Its signs include:
- Low back pain, leg pain or sciatica together with the signs below
- Leg weakness
- Numbness or tingling in the back of the legs, the buttocks, hips or inner thighs
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Being unable to urinate
Cleveland Clinic advises, "Visit the emergency room immediately if you experience any of these symptoms," and notes that treatment as soon as possible reduces the risk of long-term complications. AARP adds that for a significant trauma or fall, the emergency room is the place to go.
If these signs start at home in Dove Valley or on a walk along the Lone Tree Creek Trail, go to the nearest emergency room right away. Do not drive to our office. For new numbness or weakness without those emergency signs, talk with a medical doctor promptly, then come see us once serious causes have been ruled out.
How Medicare and Insurance Handle Chiropractic Disc Care in Centennial
Medicare covers chiropractic disc care in Centennial only in a narrow way. The CMS page on chiropractic services says coverage is limited "to treatment of the spine with manual manipulation," and a subluxation must be the primary diagnosis, with its level specified. Once a condition stabilizes and no further objective improvement is expected, CMS treats more manipulation as maintenance therapy and does not pay for it. AARP puts it plainly: Medicare pays only for spinal adjustments, not X-rays, massage or acupuncture.
What you pay depends on your plan and on what the exam documents. Butler Family Health Center is a preferred provider for Anthem, Blue Cross, Aetna, Cofinity, Humana, Cigna, United Healthcare and others. For patients without insurance or with high deductibles, we offer cash plans. We accept checks, cash, HSA debit cards, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
Patients from Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree and the Denver Tech Center are welcome to call or text (303) 741-2444 with plan questions before the first visit.
How Many Visits Might a Centennial Senior Need for a Disc?
The number of visits a Centennial senior needs for a disc depends on the exam findings, bone health and how the symptoms respond, so no single figure fits everyone. Dr. Butler sets the plan after the exam. Our article on how many chiropractic visits a herniated disc takes goes into more detail.
Why Older Adults in Centennial Choose Butler Family Health Center for Disc Care
Older adults in Centennial choose Butler Family Health Center for disc care because the office is easy to get into and nobody rushes the visit. Here is what you can count on:
- An exam with Dr. Chris Butler, D.C., a Cleveland Chiropractic College graduate and chiropractor since 1996 who treats patients from newborns to seniors
- Same-day appointments and walk-ins, so worsening disc pain does not have to wait
- Free onsite parking, plus wheelchair accessible parking, entrance, restroom and seating at Peakview Center
- Spinal decompression, Remy Class IV laser and shockwave therapy under one roof
- Most insurance accepted, with cash plans for high deductibles
- 4.9 stars on Google from more than 70 reviews
Patients often mention the gentle touch. Eric R. wrote, "Dr. Chris Butler is exceptional. Very gentle when getting adjusted." Melanie H. said she felt "listened to, cared for, and never rushed," and Mike S. has been "coming to Dr Butler for 20 years."
From our office on South Quebec Street, we also serve patients from Castlewood, Southglenn, Cherry Creek, Englewood and Littleton.
The Bottom Line
For most older adults in Centennial, chiropractic care for a herniated disc carries a low risk of serious harm when it begins with a careful exam. The main caution is thin bones, which calls for lighter force, and blood thinners or long-term steroids call for light pressure. Bladder or bowel changes, leg weakness with back pain, or a hard fall mean the emergency room comes first. For everything else, call or text Butler Family Health Center at (303) 741-2444 to book an exam with Dr. Butler.