Column Treatment Progress Report No. 129: a Patient Who Had Recurrent Back Pain Following Radiofrequency Thermal Coagulation.

schedule

08.28.2024

The patient

A female patient in her 40s

Treated in September 2023. Approximately 11 months have passed since treatment.

Symptoms and treatment

The patient had a herniated disc in the area marked in red (L3/4).

A crack was also visible in L4/5.

Medical history and treatments done prior to our clinic’s treatment

7 to 8 years ago, she started to feel pain in her lower back. She took painkillers and monitored the evolution of her condition.

In 2022, the painkillers stopped working and the patient underwent high-frequency thermocoagulation, which alleviated the pain, but six months later, the pain in the lower back returned.

In 2023, she underwent radiofrequency thermocoagulation again, but the pain only eased for about a month.

Fusion surgery was then suggested, but since she was unwilling to undergo it, she decided to come to our clinic for treatment instead.

Progress after treatment

The table below shows the pain values for each body site, rated by the patient themselves on a scale from 0 to 10.

No pain at all is rated as 0, and the greatest possible pain is rated as 10.

	Lower back	Numbness	Buttocks
Before treatment	9	6	7
One week after treatment	5	0	2
One month after treatment	2	0	0
3 months after treatment	0	0	0
6 months after treatment	0	0	0

The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.

One week after the treatment, the pain in the lower back remained but was better altogether.

At the end of one month, pain was occurring when bending at the waist, but otherwise there was no pain in everyday life.

After 3 months, the patient returned to work. She had a little pain in the lower back during busy times, but no other problems otherwise .

At 6 months, she had no fatigue or pain when working or exercising at the gym.

The patient’s symptoms were most likely caused by disc herniation in L3/4.

Because her work involves a lot of physical activity, she voluntarily took a leave of absence for treatment for about 3 months.

During the leave, the patient was actively engaged in rehabilitation and has been symptom-free since returning to work.

Although it may sound a little unrealistic, I feel that it is important not to put too much strain on the back for about a month after the treatment.

However, if you rest too much, your symptoms may also worsen (due to poor blood circulation), so if you have any concerns before or after treatment, please ask our staff and we will be happy to help you.

* 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.