Column Treatment Progress Report No. 194: A Patient Who Recovered from Lumbar Disc Herniation
January 14, 2026
The patient
A male patient in his 50s
Treated in April 2024. Approximately 12 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).
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
Since his 30s, the patient had been experiencing episodes of acute low back pain (strained back) two to three times per year.
After undergoing rehabilitation in February, numbness developed in the right leg.
The patient visited our clinic seeking to improve her symptoms.
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 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1 week after treatment | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 1 month after treatment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 months after treatment | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 week post-treatment: While resting or sleeping, the pain and numbness in the lower limbs seemed to increase slightly.
1 month post-treatment: Most of the pain has vanished, though a very slight numbness remains.
3 months post-treatment: Only a minor lingering numbness in the leg; pain is no longer an issue.
6 months post-treatment: Living a normal life without pain. A trace of numbness is still present but manageable.
This case involved a patient with lumbar disc herniation.
Based on our clinic’s clinical data, numbness caused by disc herniation often takes longer to improve compared to pain symptoms.
While the structural repair (Cellgel Method) addresses the disc’s integrity, we strongly recommend core and trunk training to stabilize the area and as part of post-treatment care.
* 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
