Column Treatment Progress Report No.136: a Patient Whose Condition Temporarily Worsened After Treatment, But Improved After One Month
October 21, 2024
The patient
A female patient in her 50s.
Treated in October 2023. Approximately 12 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments
This patient had disc degeneration in the areas indicated by the red frames (L4/5, 5/s).
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments
In October 2022, the patient felt a pain in her right lower limb.
In November 2022, she felt pain in her lower back when getting up, but it eased up once she stood up
In June 2023, she visited a local orthopedic clinic and was diagnosed with spinal canal stenosis. She was placed under observation while undergoing rehabilitation.
As the pain did not improve, she decided to visit our clinic 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 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 1 week after treatment | 1 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| 1 month after treatment | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 months after treatment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
After 1 week, the intermittent claudication had disappeared. Back pain remained a little, and numbness was still strong.
After 1 month, the back pain had become stronger. Numbness became stronger when standing, but tolerable when sitting.
After 3 months, the symptoms worsened to the point where she had to take painkillers, after which, both the pain and numbness improved slightly.
After 6 months, the lower back, legs and numbness all improved at the same time, around 4 months after the treatment.
In this case, the patient’s lower back pain improved temporarily due to the block injection performed during the treatment.
After that, the effect of the block injections wore off and the lower back pain flared up again.
The Cellgel Method may cause a temporary worsening of symptoms. This was the case for this patient. Although there are individual differences, most patients experience improvement 3 to 6 months after the treatment.
Also, the likelihood of improvement is generally higher if the patient reports a change in the area of pain or numbness.
* It takes approximately 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
