MRI ANALYSIS OF LUMBAR SPINE  (Copy from report of Radiologist)

Trans-axial T1 weighted, sagittal T1 weighted and 2-D partial flip sequences were obtained. There was 1st degree spondylolisthesis of L4 over L5. Associated pseudo disc herniation or left-behind L4/5 disc was seen. This had caused encroachment of both neural foramina.

The rest of the lumbar disc appeared normal. No intradural nor intramedullary lesions seen. The conus medullaris appeared normal.

Conclusion:

1st degree spondylolisthesis L4 over L5. Associated pseudo disc herniation of L4/5 was seen.

General symptoms experienced by patient:

Prior to the Sonotron therapy, the patient - a bank executive - complained of pain whenever he carried heavy things like an ordinary pail of water or his baby. He reported a pain score of 7 out of 10.

Whenever, he went shopping with his wife, he would have to take a rest after only about 15 to 20 minutes of walking because he felt pain at the back of his trunk, on the left side. The pain, also at a pain level of 7 out of 10, descended downwards to both knees, L-thigh and L-calf muscles.

His right heel/ankle area was also affected and had a pain score of 7 out of 10.

He used "tiger balm" regularly to relief his condition but it always only managed to reduce his perception of pain for a short while.

He had been treated by a major Government general hospital with Short Wave Diathermy for a period of 5 months, before he stopped 3 months prior to Sonotron Therapy. He reported that the therapy didn’t help him at all. Pain killing drugs also failed to work on him.

He had also tried traditional massage but it didn’t help.

RESULT AFTER 1ST THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 11, 1995.

The pain relief lasted the whole day after therapy. He also rested the whole day, as advised.

 
RESULT AFTER 2ND THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 12, 1995.

In the morning when he woke up, he felt a bit "uneasy". His pain came back but at a lower level than before the start of treatment. He reported a pain score of around 5 out of 10 at his L-trunk, L-thigh, L-knee, L-calf muscle areas and R-heel/ankle, when he rolled over on his side while on bed. Pain at his R-knee was gone.

Just before treatment, he reported a pain score of 4 out of 10 for his L-trunk. Pain at his L-knee was in the region of 4-5 out of 10 and also 4-5 out of 10 for his R-heel/ankle area after walking 15 - 20 minutes. A numbness feeling of 4-5 out of 10 was felt for his L-thigh, L-knee and L-calf muscle area.

Immediately after treatment, he had no more pain at his L-knee but felt only numbness which registered a score of 2 out of 10. He also felt the numbness at his L-thigh and L-calf muscle area had improved to a score of 2 out of 10.

He felt no more pain at his L-trunk and R-heel/ankle area. Pain at his L-knee was also removed totally.

After treatment, he went shopping. He visited The Mall and Subang Parade Shopping Complex in Kuala Lumpur and then back to The Mall - and walked a total of 4 hours. He felt no pain at his problem areas.

Even seven and a half hours later, at about 6 p.m., he observed that he didn’t feel any pain at his L-trunk. However, he felt slight pain at his R-heel/ankle area. The pain score was 2-3 out of 10. He also felt a reduced numbness at his L-knee.

RESULT AFTER 3RD THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 13, 1995.

When he woke up in the morning of the 3rd therapy session, he felt no pain at his L-trunk and R-heel/ankle area. He only felt slight numbness at his L-thigh, knee and calf muscle area. His feeling of numbness was in the region of 2-3 out of 10.

Just before treatment, he reported the same result as the one felt when he woke up.

After therapy, he reported that the numbness of his L-thigh had disappeared. However, he still felt "a little bit" of numbness at his L-knee and L-calf muscle area. His feeling of numbness was around 1-2 out of 10.

After treatment, at around 11:30 am., he drove out of Kuala Lumpur by himself. The journey took one and a half hours because of a traffic jam. However, he felt no pain at all at his problem areas, despite the fact that he had to play frequently with the clutch of his car with his left leg, throughout the journey.

At 6 p.m., he went on a long car journey to Malacca. This time, he didn’t drive. However, despite the long hours of sitting in the car, he felt no discomfort.

About 12 hours after the 3rd therapy session, (at around 11 p.m.) he observed some numbness at his L-thigh and L-calf muscle areas. But he felt no numbness at his L-knee.

Because of the long traveling time from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca, he felt just a little pain at his L-trunk, in the region of 1-2 out of 10.

 
RESULT AFTER 4TH THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 14, 1995.

When he rolled over on his bed before getting up, he felt no pain at all. However, his feeling of numbness at his L-thigh and L-calf muscle area was around 2-3 out of 10. All the rest were alright.

Immediately after treatment, he felt a total removal of his numbness at the L-thigh and L-calf muscle areas.

After the therapy session, from about 12 p.m. he walked until 8 p.m. - a total of 8 hours - and felt no pain nor numbness at his problem areas. He went shopping from one complex to another.

At about 11 p.m., he felt a very slight numbness of 1-2 out of 10 at his L-thigh and L-calf muscles. However, the numbness was not continuous. It was "on and off", until he went to bed at 1 am.

RESULT AFTER 5TH THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 15, 1995.

When he woke up, he felt all were OK except a very slight feeling of numbness. His numbness score was around 1-2 out of 10 at his L-thigh and L-calf muscle area. He described his numbness to be coming from the surface of his muscles, towards the left of the limb.

After therapy, even though the length of time was about half the usual taken during the previous few sessions, he reported a total reduction of numbness to 0 out of 10, at his L-thigh and L-calf muscle area.

GENERAL COMMENT

1. Pain score was measured by patient, using his best judgement.

2. Pain Score 0 - No pain
Pain Score 10 - Excruciating pain

3. Operator of device was always the same person.

4. Interactive communication was always encouraged between patient and operator of the device in order to gauge the degree of improvement in patient’s problem as treatment progressed. Treatment ended when patient felt comfortable enough or when pain disappeared.