Treatment Case Studies
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Column Treatment Progress Report No.89: a Patient Who Exercised on His Own Immediately After Treatment

January 06, 2024

The patient

A male patient in his 60s

Treated in April 2023. About 8 months have passed since the treatment

Symptoms and treatment

Symptoms and treatment

This patient had disc herniation in the area indicated by the red frame (disc L3/4).

Disc degeneration was also observed at L4/5 and 5/s.

Progress and treatment before treatment

40 years ago, he felt discomfort in his lower back at around the time he started judo. He also developed a strained back.

In November 2023, he had to wear a corset to work because of the pain in his lower back.

He visited several orthopedic surgeons in his vicinity, but was only told to stay at home and rest.

He visited our clinic for treatment. 

Progress after treatment

The following is a chart in which the patient rated each area of pain on a scale of 0 to 10.

No pain at all is rated as 0, and the greatest possible pain is rated as 10.

Lower backLower limbsNumbnessButtocks
Before treatment3222
1 week after treatment3220
1 month after treatment2220
3 months after treatment1000
6 months after treatment0200

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

After one week, the patient started walking in a pool. Ankle pain had decreased a little.

After one month, he was walking at the pool twice a week. The pain was slowly decreasing little by little.

After 3 months, he felt a heaviness in his lower back after standing for a long time, but had no pain.

After 6 months, he felt heaviness in his lower back when he was tired from work, but still had no pain. The ankles feel painful though.

This patient’s back pain was likely due to herniation of the L3/4 disc.

The patient has been voluntarily doing rehabilitation exercises such as walking in the water.

Since the pain level has decreased and the main symptom now has more to do with heaviness, we believe that the patient will improve with further exercises.

* 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