Ozone Therapy FAQ

What is Ozone? What is Ozone therapy?

Ozone is a naturally occurring gas that consists of three oxygen atoms and makes up the ozone layer, Earth’s protective layer from the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. The gas is colorless and has an acrid odor.

Ozone therapy is the use of medical grade ozone/oxygen gas to address a wide range of health conditions and may possibly reverse chronic oxidative stress due to ageing, chronic infections, diabetes, atherosclerosis, degenerative processes and cancer. Although considered unorthodox by many, Ozone therapy has been medically utilized and studied since the mid-nineteenth century with much of the research originating in Europe. Interestingly enough, Nikolai Tesla, patented the first ozone generator in 1896! Since then, a multitude of technological and scientific advancements have been made to increase safety and understanding of Ozone therapy. Ozone therapy can be administered in a number of ways depending on the health condition to be addressed.

What is Prolozone Therapy?

Prolozone therapy is the combination of classical Prolotherapy and Ozone therapy. A small volume of Ozone gas is injected into tendons, ligaments, joint capsules and joint spaces following prolotherapy injections. Adding ozone therapy to classical Prolotherapy injections, further supports tissue repair by improving oxygen delivery to damaged or injured tissues, improving circulation, stimulating a cascade of growth factors including platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-b1 (TGF-b1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Furthermore, Prolozone is especially effective for reduction pain. Prolozone therapy can be used to address a variety of conditions including, arthritis, osteoarthritis, chronic joint pain, joint instability, spine pain, frozen shoulder and rotator cuff injuries, golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, degenerative disc disease and others! If you don’t see your health condition listed above please contact our office to find out if Ozone therapy can help you!

How does Ozone therapy work?

Ozone therapy has a wide range of therapeutic uses along with an array of mechanisms of actions. Ozone therapy is typically used for its tissue regenerative, anti-oxidant, immunosupportive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ageing properties.

Ozone therapy…

Supports tissue repair by enhancing the release of growth factors
Up-regulates free radical scavengers such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase
Supports and modulates the immune system
Improves oxygen delivery to cells by stimulating oxygen metabolism
Increases production of cellular energy in the form of ATP
Improves blood circulation and decreases blood viscosity
Maintains RBC membrane integrity by activating the pentose pathway
Reduces chronic inflammation
Activates neuro-protective systems

What conditions is Ozone used for?

Ozone therapy has a wide range of therapeutic uses. Ozone therapy is typically used for its tissue regenerative, anti-oxidant, immunosupportive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ageing properties. Published papers have demonstrated positive results in:

Interstitial cystitis
Chronic hepatitis
Herpes infection
Various dental infections
Canker sores
Diabetes and associated complications including ulcers
Multiple sclerosis
Post Stroke (Acute cerebral infarction)
Intermittent Claudication
Macular degeneration
Complementary Cancer Care
And more…

Ozone therapy has also been reportedly used in the treatment of:

Acute cold/flu
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Peripheral Artery Disease
Dementia and Cerebral Vascular Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Lyme disease
SARS

Used alone or in combination with prolotherapy, ozone therapy is used to treat various musculoskeletal complaints including knee, back and shoulder pain. If you don’t see your health condition listed above please contact our office to find out if Ozone therapy can help you!

Is Ozone therapy safe?

When administered by health care practitioner certified in ozone/prolozone therapy and properly used, ozone therapy is extremely safe with little to no side effects. A study entitled “Accident and Typical Complications in Ozone Therapy” reported that of 5.5 million treatment sessions of 384,775 patients the complication rate was 0.0007%, or roughly 1 in every 150,000 patients treated. The only major complications were from direct IV injection of ozone, an application of ozone therapy not commonly performed. However, the inhalation of ozone gas can lead to airway hyper-reactivity, airway inflammation and can significantly exacerbate patients with COPD. Ozone therapy should not be used in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, in the first three months of pregnancy, and in other specific circumstances. During your consult, Dr. Hibbitts will discuss ozone therapy with you and decide if it is safe and indicated for you. Dr. Hibbitts uses universal safety precautions and a well-ventilated exam room to ensure the safety of his patients.

How is Ozone therapy used?

Ozone therapy has many clinical applications and a number of ways to administer it, depending on the health condition to be addressed. For musculoskeletal conditions, ozone may be injected into ligaments, tendons, joint capsules and joint spaces, alone or in combination with prolotherapy. For the majority of other conditions, auto-therapy is the most common method for administering ozone. Autohemotherapy is used in the treatment of a variety of health conditions including allergies, chronic inflammation, chronic infections, cardiovascular conditions and more. There are two main forms of this therapy; Minor Autohemotherapy and Major Autohemotherapy.

Minor Autohemotherapy

Minor autohemotherapy involves removing a small volume of the patient’s blood (Typically 5-10 ml) and reinjecting it into a muscle. Alternatively, this blood can be treated with ozone gas and then reinjected. A small amount of local anesthetic may be used to reduce the pain of the injection. This method is primarily used to treat allergies, acne, herpes/shingles, acute cold/flu, trigger points, and more.

Major Autohemotherapy

Major Autohemotherapy involves removing a larger volume of the patient’s blood (Typically 60-250 ml) into a sterile container containing an anticoagulant to prevent the blood from clotting. This volume of blood is then treated with ozone and then infused into the patient via an IV drip. Published papers have demonstrated positive results in interstitial cystitis, intermittent claudication, chronic hepatitis, herpes/shingles infection, various dental infections, diabetes and associated complications, multiple sclerosis, and macular degeneration. Major autohemotherapy has also been reportedly used in the treatment of various cancers, including prostate cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease, and a host of autoimmune diseases.

* In addition to these common treatments, others exist including rectal insufflation, ear insufflation, bladder insufflation, body and limb bagging, ozonated water, and topical applications of ozonated oils.

How many treatments do I need?

The number and frequency of treatment varies with the severity of your condition, age and overall health status. The number of treatments can be up to 20 and the frequency can be as often as daily to several times per week. Dr. Hibbitts will discuss this with you and decide the most appropriate number and frequency of treatments.

*For more information please visit click on the links below:

Sources:

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Borrelli E, Bocci V. Basic Biologucal Therapeutic Effects of Ozone Therapy in Human Medicine. Encyclopedia of Life Support.
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