Column Treatment Case Report No. 110 (Overseas Patient)｜ ILC International Lumbago Clinic (Tokyo Clinic)
October 28, 2023
Patient case
The patient
A male patient in his 40s, from the U.S.A..
The patient’s medical history to date
In his teens, he began having pain after injuring his neck on a trampoline.
In 2018, he was involved in a car accident which aggravated his neck pain.
Until recently, when he returned to the U.S., he was recommended fusion surgery, but after hearing in Japan that fusion surgery was not a good idea, he decided to come to our clinic instead.
Symptoms before treatment
・Pain levels before treatment
| Neck | Shoulders | Arms | Hands | Shoulder blades | Numbness | Muscle weakness | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain level | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
No pain at all is rated as 0, and the greatest possible pain is rated as 10.
Main pain area – lower left limb
Forward bending: no change
Backward bending: aggravation of pain
Rotation: pain on the right
Grip strength: right – 60 kg, left – 50 kg (dominant hand is right)
Additional explanations on our clinic’s medical examination
・Daily activities
Pain in the neck, shoulders, and hands while driving.
Imaging and findings
- C3/4, 4/5, 5/6 – disc herniation
The above findings were also observed on the imaging.
・C5/6 – The symptoms are directly related to the disc herniation in 5/6, so we recommended PODD treatment for the disc herniation in 5/6.
Treatment
After consultation with the patient, the PODD method was performed on C5/6
The treatment was performed by our administrative director, Director Minowa.
This is an image of the needle inserted into the disc.
After this, ozone was injected to complete the treatment.
This is a picture of the treatment in progress.
Treatment of the cervical vertebra is performed with the patient on the back.
The picture below shows the injection of ozone.
The treatment took about 20 minutes.
After taking a rest in the recovery room, the patient was able to walk home by himself.
Our clinic’s treatment method
Additional information about the PODD Method we have introduced in this column.
Cost of PODD: 330,000 yens/1 site (including tax) to 550,000 yens/5 sites (including tax)
Cost of epidural ozone: 33,000 yens per site (including tax) – 165,000 yens per 5 sites (including tax)
Cost for this patient’s case: 1 PODD site = 330,000 yens (including tax)
Risks and side effects of PODD: Transient pain may occur after treatment. Nerve damage is a not nil due to the nature of the treatment, but there are no reports of damage in either treatment cases or in any publications. There is a very small possibility of an allergic reaction to local anesthetics. In addition, if the disc has almost completely lost its volume, treatment may not be possible. The doctor will consult with you at the time of the physical examination to determine the best treatment option for your condition.
For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:
The PODD method on our treatment methods page
This article was written by the Administrative Director of our clinic
