Column Progress Report No. 37: A Patient Whose Overall Condition Improved Overall, but Still Experiences Symptoms Upon Waking Up
May 30, 2023
The patient
A female patient in her 70s.
Treated in January 2023. Approximately 4 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient had disc degeneration in the areas indicated by the red frame (L3/4, 4/5, 5/s).
Spinal Stenosis due to anterolisthesis of L4 was also observed.
Disc fissures (cracks) were observed at L2/3, L4/5, and L5/S.
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
In August 2022, the patient suddenly developed pain in both buttocks and the left lower limb, making walking difficult.
Visited an orthopedic clinic and was diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis and Spondylolisthesis, and was advised to undergo surgery.
Pain medication, pain patches, and nerve block injections were ineffective, leading her to seek treatment at our clinic.
Treatment
The Cellgel Method was performed on a total of four intervertebral discs: L2/3, L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S.
Post-treatment progress
The table below shows the results of the patient’s own evaluation of the pain in each body site on a scale of 0 to 10.
No pain at all is rated as 0 and 10 as the maximum possible pain.
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 2 | 10 | 7 | 8 |
| 1 week after treatment | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 month after treatment | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 Week Post-Treatment: Felt significantly better, although pain returned briefly around the 4th day.
1 Month Post-Treatment: Feet hurt upon waking, but the pain improved once she started walking.
After 3 months: No fatigue after walking; daily life felt comfortable.
However, pain occasionally appeared in the buttocks upon waking, after prolonged sitting, or when starting to walk.
Physician’s Note: Symptoms upon waking are common due to poor blood circulation during the night.
Improving blood flow through daily exercise and stretching can gradually help.
It may be beneficial for the patient to dedicate a little time to self-care and monitoring her body, even post treatment.
* Results vary among individuals. Please be aware that identical outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
* It generally takes 3 weeks to 3 months for treatment effects to appear.
Our Treatment Method
Supplementary Information on the Cellgel Method
Cost of the Cergel Method:
¥1,320,000 / 1 site (tax included)
to ¥1,760,000 / 5 sites (tax included)
Risks and Side Effects:
Temporary pain may occur after treatment.
Nerve injury is theoretically possible due to the nature of the procedure, but no such cases have been reported in our own experience or in published studies.
Extremely rare risk of allergic reaction to local anesthetic.
Symptoms may temporarily worsen for 1–2 weeks after treatment, believed to be due to decompression effects of the implant pulling on surrounding tissue.
If the disc is severely collapsed or nearly gone, treatment may not be possible.
The physician will discuss suitable treatment options with each patient depending on their condition.
For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:
Blog page explaining the Cellgel Method in an easy-to-understand manner
The Cellgel Method on our treatment methods page
This article was written by the administrative Director of our clinic
