Column Free MRI Consultation – Case #1 | International Lumbago Clinic Tokyo Blog
Patient
Female in her 30s
Presenting Symptoms
- Began experiencing severe pain 3-4 times a year, 3 years ago.
- When the pain occurs, it is so severe that she cannot get up for a week up to 10 days.
- The pain tends to occur when she has been standing for a long time or when she jumps or squats during sports activities.
- Pain is more likely to occur when the patient is in a slouching or stooping posture.
- On a scale of 1 to 10, the pain is 10 in the lower back, 6 in the hips, and 1 in the legs, with no symptoms of numbness.
- When pain occurs, all activities are difficult (turning over, getting up, washing her face, standing, sitting for a long time, lifting heavy objects).
MRI Imaging and Diagnostic
- The circled area in the image shows the herniated L4/5 disc. You can also see that those discs are darker in color than the discs above it. That discoloration is a clear indicator of disc degeneration.
- In the case of a herniated disc, the body recognizes the presence of something (in this case, the disc) that should not be there, and it triggers an inflammation reaction in that area, causing pain.
- The herniated disc also loses its balance and weakens as a result. This causes misalignment and strain on the surrounding joints, which in turn cause inflammation. This inflammation also leads to pain. In the imaging above, there is a possibility that the facet joints may also be inflamed.
Since the free MRI diagnosis is just based on the findings of the medical questionnaire and imaging diagnosis, actual consultation is the only way to find the best solution to treat the symptoms.
Recommended Treatment
Although this is subject to caution because the examination has not happened yet, we recommend the Cellgel method in L4/5 for this patient. Ozone treatment for facet arthritis and the Cellgel method in L5/S1 may also be considered later following further confirmation through examination and consultation with the patient.
Treatments at our Clinic
Please refer to the following links for more information on the Cellgel method and ozone therapy:
