Herniated Disc Treatment at Minimum Cost

Patient Information

Male, in his 20s

Condition and Symptoms

• Herniated Disc
• Sciatica

Patient Background

This patient has a history of playing basketball since school, but during his fourth year of college, he began experiencing back pain and sciatica during training and was diagnosed with a herniated disc. After starting work, he experienced a recurrence of sciatic nerve pain and eventually visited our clinic.

Examination

MRI results showed the spine to be in relatively good condition, but there was a slight protrusion of the disc between vertebrae L5 and S1, confirming a diagnosis of herniated disc.

Type of Treatment

PODT (Percutaneous Ozone Disc Therapy)

Herniated discs are classified into two types: mild cases, which are suitable for treatments such as laser therapy, PIDT, Cellgel, and ozone therapy; and severe cases, which require methods like Discseel or DRT. Since the patient’s disc still had good thickness, it was likely a mild case. Additional testing confirmed it was indeed a mild case, but since the patient had been experiencing nerve damage for more than three years, we opted for ozone therapy, which also helps reduce nerve damage.

The patient chose to use sedation, so the procedure was performed under local anesthesia while he lay face down.

The ozone injection process is underway. Treatment time was about 17 minutes.

Message from the Director

Ozone therapy originated in Europe. The ozone machine uses oxygen as its base material, so the cost is low, and treatment can be provided for around 200,000 to 300,000 Yen. In comparison, laser therapy costs around 250,000 Yen, and Cellgel treatment can go up to 1.2 million Yen, making ozone therapy a more affordable option. Moreover, ozone therapy is also effective in addressing long-term nerve damage, making it a cost-effective and high-impact choice for patients with mild herniated disc conditions.

Yesterday, my son and I went to Koshien Stadium, where the Tigers won against the BayStars and secured second place in the league. The BayStars might be their opponent in the upcoming championship series. Today, September 30th, is the Tigers’ last home game at Koshien, and we hope the team keeps winning to carry momentum into the Japan Series.