Column Treatment Progress Report No.49: A Patient Whose Symptoms Improved Significantly After Attending Rehabilitation at Our Affiliated Facility
July 7, 2023
The patient
A female patient in her 60s.
Treated in October 2022. Approximately 8 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient had disc herniation in the areas indicated by the red frame (L4/5).
In addition, disc degeneration was observed from L1/2 through L5/S1.
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
Age 16: Hospitalized for one month due to a herniated disc. She subsequently suffered from recurrent episodes of acute low back pain (strained back) throughout her life.
June 2022: Pain and numbness developed from the left lower back extending into the left lower limb. Diagnosed with a herniated disc at a local clinic and managed with conservative therapy.
The patient visited our clinic seeking to improve her symptoms.
Treatment
The Cellgel Method was performed at five intervertebral disc levels:
L1/2, L2/3, L3/4, L4/5, 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 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 1 week after treatment | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 1 month after treatment | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 3 months after treatment | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| 6 months after treatment | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 week after treatment: Pain and numbness were unchanged compared with before treatment.
1 month after treatment: A sensation of heaviness and sharp, tingling discomfort was felt in the lower back and around the waist.
3 months after treatment: Symptoms became more stable after starting medication.
The patient felt gradual improvement.
6 Months: Symptoms continued to improve significantly. The patient has noted that the rehabilitation started at the 3-month mark was very effective and wants to continue it. She can now tolerate the pain even with reduced medication.
This patient’s symptoms remained high until the 3-month mark. Because her schedule allowed it, we proposed she attend our affiliated rehabilitation clinic.
The dramatic drop in pain levels over the following three months suggests that a significant portion of her pain was likely muscular/myofascial, stemming from years of compensating for her herniated discs.
By treating the root cause (the discs) with the Cellgel Method and then addressing the muscular issues through rehab, we achieved an excellent result. The patient expressed high satisfaction in finally treating the primary cause of her lifelong back pain.
* 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
