Column Treatment Progress Report No.93: a Patient Whose Pain Disappeared After Treatment and Who Is Currently Undergoing Rehabilitation
January 27, 2024
The patient
A female patient in her 80s.
Treated in April 2023. About 9 months have passed since the treatment
Symptoms and treatments
This patient has disc degeneration in the area indicated by the red frame (intervertebral discs at L2/3,3/4,4/5.5/s).
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments
In her 20s, she had her first strained back. It has occurred several times since then.
In his 40s, she began going to an osteopathic clinic because of constant pain in her lower back.
In her 70s, she visited a local orthopedist and was told that it was not necessary to have surgery.
She decided to come to our clinic to improve her symptoms.
Post-treatment progress
The following is a chart in which the patient rated the pain value of each part 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 back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 week after treatment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 month after treatment | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 months after treatment | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
After one week, the patient was hardly feeling any pain.
After one month, she felt no fatigue after yoga or walking.
After 3 months, she still had no pain but her back felt heavy.
After 6 months, the lower back was not painful but the feeling of heaviness remained. When fatigue set in, the patient experienced pain in the hip joint.
This patient’s symptoms were likely caused by disc degeneration.
The pain in the hip disappeared after treatment, but the heaviness remains.
Our clinic attaches great importance to blood circulation and exercising one’s muscles as much as possible during rehabilitation visits.
In this case, since it was difficult for the patient to go to the rehabilitation center attached to our hospital, we referred her to a nearby rehabilitation center so that she could receive rehabilitation as much as possible.
We also provide post-treatment follow-up after our consultation with each patient, so we hope that she will openly share her current pain levels with us so that we can assist her to the best of our ability.
* 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
