The Health That Comes with Ozone Therapy

Ozone therapy, defined as the administration of ozone gas into the body through various methods to treat or assist in the treatment of diseases, is used in the treatment of numerous conditions ranging from rheumatic diseases to herniated discs in the back and neck, as well as persistent muscle pains known as myofascial pain.

In recent years, especially, new treatment methods have become increasingly popular for many diseases falling within the scope of physical therapy, such as rheumatic pains, joint calcification, shoulder pains, and herniated discs in the back and neck. The low complication rates of methods like ozone therapy and PRP make them more attractive. Medistate Kavacık Hospital Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Specialist Dr. İlker Garipoğlu answered our questions about ozone therapy, which he says they use successfully in the treatment of many diseases...

How long has ozone therapy been used? Medical ozone therapy, or ozone therapy, can be defined as the administration of ozone gas to the body through various methods to treat or assist in the treatment of diseases. It is a treatment originating from Italy and Germany. Ozone can cause harmful effects when administered in high doses; therefore, the substance used in medical ozone therapy is not pure ozone but a mixture of low concentrations of ozone and high concentrations of oxygen gas. The amount of ozone in the oxygen mixture varies depending on the disease being treated and the administration method. How does ozone affect diseases? Ozone is an unstable molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms (O3).

When administered to the body, it immediately transforms into peroxides. Since peroxides are powerful oxidant molecules, the body activates all its antioxidant systems to counteract these strong oxidants. This is called the therapeutic shock effect. Thus, oxidant molecules formed in areas of the body where conditions such as vascular obstruction, circulatory and oxygenation disorders, rheumatic diseases, or nerve compression exist are neutralized. This way, pain is particularly reduced and a healing effect is achieved. Observations and research support the existence of other effects of ozone that are not yet fully understood.Ozon tedavisi hastaya nasıl veriliyor? Ozon tedavisinin uluslararası kabul görmüş çok çeşitli uygulama şekilleri var. Tedavi şeklinin seçimi her hastalığa göre değişeceği için hangi yöntemin kullanılacağı hekim tarafından belirleniyor.

A different approach to herniated disc treatment: Is ozone therapy also used for herniated discs? Although the use of ozone therapy in the treatment of herniated discs is not new, scientific studies on this subject are relatively recent. Recent research, in particular, has shown that ozone injections are a safe and effective method in the treatment of herniated discs. These studies have demonstrated the efficacy of two types of ozone administration in herniated discs. One of these is the procedure called intra-discal injection, which involves administering medication through long, special needles under the guidance of computed tomography to the area where the herniated disc is located. The other method is the one we also apply in our own clinic, which involves injecting ozone bilaterally into the lateral muscles of the lower back at the level of the hernia using standard syringes. When administering ozone through the paravertebral muscles, there is no risk of nerve damage. Additionally, since imaging is not required in this method, the patient is not exposed to radiation. Another advantage is that it is more economical compared to the intra-discal method. Perhaps the only disadvantage of this method compared to the intra-discal method is that it requires administration not just once, but between five and 15 times per week, at least once and at most three times. This method is extremely safe, especially in terms of complications. Which patient group will benefit most from ozone injection administered into the lumbar region? Patients with hernias who present with acute onset of sciatic pain, especially radiating down the leg. The success rate of the method decreases in chronic and surgically treated patients. After ozone injection, the patient may experience a mild burning sensation that lasts from 3-5 minutes to 1-2 hours.

This should not be interpreted as an increase in hernia pain. The most important feature of ozone injection is its very rapid effect. That is, the patient can feel the pain in their leg and lower back decrease within minutes of receiving the injection. This early improvement generally indicates that the patient will benefit greatly from the treatment. With continued injections, the patient's pain gradually decreases, and complete healing is typically achieved within 5 to 15 sessions. It should always be kept in mind that the true treatment for herniated disc is preventing recurrence after recovery.

Kaynakça:

• World Federation of Ozone Therapy. Ozone Therapy Guidelines.

• International Scientific Committee of Ozone Therapy. Madrid Declaration on Ozone Therapy.

• Cochrane. Minimally Invasive Treatments for Lumbar Disc Herniation Reviews.

• European Spine Journal. Ozone Therapy in Lumbar Disc Herniation Studies.