Column Treatment Progress Report No.209: A Patient Whose Disc Herniation Improved Within Three Months
May 30, 2026
The patient
A male patient in his 70s
Treated in July 2025 (Over 10 months have passed since the procedure).
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient was diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation at the L2/3 level, indicated by the red box on the MRI imaging.
Medical History Before Treatment
The patient first developed low back pain in 2024.
In 2025, he began experiencing pain in his right thigh and visited a local orthopedic clinic. Following examination, he was diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation and was advised to undergo endoscopic surgery.
However, he was reluctant to proceed with surgery and subsequently visited our clinic to explore alternative treatment options.
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 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 |
| 1 week after treatment | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 |
| 1 Month After Treatment | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 Months After Treatment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 Months After Treatment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
One Week After Treatment: The patient reported that symptom levels were unchanged compared with before treatment.
One Month After Treatment: The patient reported being able to walk more smoothly. However, after prolonged walking, a feeling of heaviness remained in the right thigh.
Three Months After Treatment: The patient reported complete resolution of both pain and numbness. The heaviness in the leg had also disappeared.
Six Months After Treatment: The patient reported remaining symptom-free. In addition, he noted that more people had commented that his walking pattern had changed compared with before treatment.
For this patient, the lumbar disc herniation was the primary cause of symptoms.
Following the Cellgel Method, the disc herniation resolved and symptoms improved.
The patient also worked actively on exercise with a personal trainer before and after symptom improvement.
* Results vary among individuals. Please be aware that identical outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
* It generally takes 3 weeks to 3 months for treatment effects to appear.
Our Treatment Method
Supplementary Information on the Cellgel Method
Cost of the Cellgel Method:
¥1,320,000 / 1 site (tax included)
to ¥1,760,000 / 5 sites (tax included)
Risks and Side Effects:
Temporary pain may occur after treatment.
Nerve injury is theoretically possible due to the nature of the procedure, but no such cases have been reported in our own experience or in published studies.
Extremely rare risk of allergic reaction to local anesthetic.
Symptoms may temporarily worsen for 1–2 weeks after treatment, believed to be due to decompression effects of the implant pulling on surrounding tissue.
If the disc is severely collapsed or nearly gone, treatment may not be possible.
The physician will discuss suitable treatment options with each patient depending on their condition.
For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:
Blog page explaining the Cellgel Method in an easy-to-understand manner
The Cellgel Method on our treatment methods page
This article was written by the administrative Director of our clinic
