Column Treatment Progress No.165: A Patient whose Condition has Improved After Undergoing The Cellgel Method For Cervicals

April 16, 2025

The patient

A male patient in his 60s

Treated in December 2023. About 16 months have passed since the treatment.

Symptoms and treatments to date

This patient had disc herniation in the area indicated by the red frame (C5/6,6/7).

Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date

The main complaint of the patient was pain and numbness going from the left shoulder to the forearm.

Symptoms began in 2020, with numbness in both fingers.

Around 2023, the symptoms changed to numbness from the left neck to the forearm. He was taking medication, but without any improvement.

Since there was no improvement, he decided to visit our clinic.

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.

	Neck	Shoulders	Arms	Hands	Shoulder blades	Numbness	Muscle weakness
Before treatment	0	0	3	3	3	5	3
1 week after treatment	2	0	2	2	0	5	3
1 month after treatment	2	0	1	1	0	4	2
3 months after treatment	1	0	0	0	0	0	3
6 months after treatment	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

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

After one week, the patient didn’t feel any better or worse.

After one month, there are times when the numbness in the hand disappear completely. Pain and numbness appear when turning slightly upwards.

After 3 months, the numbness in the fingertips remained a little, but symptoms were improving overall.

After 6 months, she felt a cracking sound in her neck when she turned over in bed, but other than that, she had no symptoms. Although the numbness was gone, she still felt a little discomfort.

There is a high possibility that this patient’s symptoms were caused by disc herniation.

It is likely that the stenosis caused by the herniation was alleviated and alleviated the symptoms.

About 3 months after the treatment, the patient went to another hospital because he had frequent headaches and was told that his blood circulation was not so good, so he spent time in hot springs and saunas to improve it.

We believe that the combined effects of treatment and rehabilitation will improve the blood circulation of the patient and improve the outcome of the patient’s condition.

* 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