Column Treatment Progress Report No. 215: A Patient Who Was Struggling with Leg Symptoms Caused by Disc Herniation
September 5, 2026
The patient
A female patient in her 50s.
Treated in September 2025. Approximately 10 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient had disc herniation in the areas indicated by the red frame (L5/s).
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
Numbness in the legs began a year and a half ago.
She had severe pain in the right hip joint and consulted a nearby orthopedic clinic, where she was diagnosed with disc herniation.
The local clinic recommended treatment involving the insertion of bolts (screw fixation), but she was hesitant about undergoing the procedure and subsequently visited 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.
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 5 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1 week after treatment | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| 1 month after treatment | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 months after treatment | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 6 months after treatment | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
One week after treatment:
The pain gradually began to improve from the day after treatment, and the distance she was able to walk increased. Numbness remained in her left leg.
One month after treatment:
Her symptoms had improved further compared with the previous follow-up. She was able to perform movements that had previously been difficult or impossible. Her walking distance was also gradually increasing.
Three months after treatment:
She was no longer experiencing difficulty walking due to lower back pain.
Six months after treatment:
Her symptoms had improved overall.
In this patient, the main symptoms were considered to be caused by disc herniation.
After treatment, the patient actively engaged in water walking and stretching exercises on her own. She has continued to live with substantially reduced symptoms.
* It generally takes 3 weeks to 3 months for treatment effects to appear.
* 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 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
