Column Treatment Progress Report No. 125: A patient who did not want to have surgery and was treated at our clinic instead
July 24, 2024
The patient
A female patient in her 70s
Treated in August 2023. About 11 months have passed since her treatment.
Symptoms and Treatment
This patient had disc herniation in the area indicated by the red frame (L4/5, 5/s).
Pre-treatment medical history / treatment
2021: Back pain and numbness began after a bad fall on her tailbone.
She visited a local orthopedic clinic and was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. She was offered surgery but did not want that, so she went to an acupuncture clinic to see how she would respond.
2022: She was in so much pain that she couldn’t get up at times. She started going to acupuncture and moxibustion again and felt a little better as a result.
She came to our clinic seeking a curative treatment.
Post-treatment progress
This is a chart in which the patient herself evaluates the pain in each body part on a scale of 0 to 10.
No pain at all is rated as 0, and the maximum possible pain is rated as 10.
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| One week after treatment | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| One month after treatment | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Six months after treatment | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
The following is the feedback from the patient when contacted for the follow-up.
After one week, both the pain and numbness in the lower back were still present.
After one month, the numbness had improved, but she still felt a heaviness in her lower back when standing.
After 3 months, we were unable to reach her.
After 6 months, the symptoms suddenly became less severe, and she started feeling better.
It is thought that the symptoms of this patient were caused by disc herniation.
The patient attended our clinic’s rehabilitation program once a month and was also doing rehabilitation movements at home for about an hour a day on her own initiative.
The patient has always been proactive about rehabilitation.
I think that the effects of the treatment and rehabilitation worked synergistically and suddenly made her feel better. I hope that the patient will continue with rehabilitation to a reasonable extent in the future.
*It takes about 3 weeks to 3 months to see the full effects of the treatment.
* Effects in the treatment may vary according to individual differences. Please be aware that there is a possibility that the exact same effects may not be replicated every time.
Our clinic’s treatment method
Here is some additional information about the Cellgel method that we have presented here.
Cost of the Cellgel method: 1,320,000 yen per site (including tax) to 1,760,000 yen for 5 sites (including tax)
Cost for this patient’s case: Cellgel performed in 2 areas = 1,430,000 yen (including tax)
Risks and side effects of the Cellgel method: Transient pain may occur after treatment. Due to the very nature of the treatment, the possibility of nerve damage is not zero, but so far there have been no reports of damage in either reported cases or publications. There is a very small possibility of allergic reactions to the local anesthetic. Symptoms may temporarily worsen during the first week or two after treatment. This is believed to be due to the decompression effect of the implant, which pulls in the surrounding tissues. Also, if the disc is almost completely worn out, it may not be possible to treat it. The doctor will consult with you during your visit to determine the best treatment option for your condition.
For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:
Column page explaining the Cellgel method in an easy-to-understand manner
Page of the Cellgel procedure at our clinic
This article was written by the administrative Director of our clinic
