Column Treatment Progress report No.47: A Patient Whose Condition Improved Through Home Stretching Exercises
July 1, 2023
The patient
A male patient in his 80s
Treated in September 2022. Approximately 9 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient had disc degeneration in the areas indicated by the red frame (L1/2, 3/4, 4/5, 5/s).
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
2010: Diagnosed with disc herniation. Surgery was recommended but the patient declined due to high risks associated with age.
2020: Developed intermittent claudication and morning back pain.
July 2022: Symptoms worsened.
The patient subsequently visited our clinic for treatment.
Treatment
The Cellgel Method was performed at two intervertebral disc levels (L3/4 and L5/S1).
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 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 1 week after treatment | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 month after treatment | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 months after treatment | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 months after treatment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 week after treatment: Low back pain remained unchanged, but numbness slightly improved.
1 month after treatment: Persistent low back pain continued.
3 months after treatment: Morning pain resolved; however, the patient needed to rest after walking approximately 30 meters.
6 months after treatment: Numbness resolved completely. Mild low back pain persisted, but overall symptoms have clearly improved.
At the 3-month follow-up, the patient was advised to begin simple home-based rehabilitation, including stretching exercises combined with appropriate walking.
Consistent home stretching and moderate exercise were key factors in achieving a near-total recovery for this 80-year-old patient.
The positive response to rehabilitation contributed to symptom improvement, which we were pleased to observe.
* 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 Cellgel 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
