Ozone therapy is a process in which gaseous ozone is given to the body to treat certain health problems. Ozone is a gas composed of 3 oxygen atoms that has important analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, as well as improving tissue oxygenation as well as strengthening the immune system.
For its properties, it is a therapy that can be suggested in the treatment of chronic problems, such as arthritis, chronic pain, infected wounds and late healing, for example.
- Treatment should be performed by a health care professional.
- Applying ozone locally or through intravenous.
- Intramuscular or rectal insufflation.
Ozone therapy works by disrupting harmful processes for the health of the body, such as the growth of pathogenic bacteria in case of infection, or preventing certain oxidative processes, so it can be used to improve various health problems:
As it promotes more oxygen to enter the bloodstream, ozone therapy is a good option to relieve symptoms of people with breathing problems, such as asthma, bronchitis and COPD. Learn how to identify and treat asthma.
In fact, the entry of more oxygen into the blood causes an increase in the glycolysis level of red blood cells, also increasing the amount of oxygen released into the tissues.
In addition, it greatly increases airway resistance and breathing rate.
Ozone therapy can bring benefits to people with weakened immune systems and help treat diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or severe myasthenia, for example, because it stimulates and strengthens the immune system, increasing the number of molecules involved in the emission of signals between cells by triggering immune responses.
Discover other ways to strengthen immunity
Several studies show that ozone therapy can be used to complement the treatment of HIV, the AIDS virus, by facilitating the inactivation of a nuclear protein in the virus, as well as having an antioxidant and antimicrobial function. Learn more about symptoms, contagion, and how AIDS is treated.
Some studies also show that ozone administered at a concentration between 30 and 55 g/cc causes an increase in the production of interferon, which is a protein produced to, among other mechanisms, interfere with the replication of tumor cells and stimulate the defense activity of other cells.
In addition, this also results in an increase in tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-2, which in turn stimulates a cascade of posterior immune reactions.
Ozone therapy can also be used in conjunction with radiation therapy and chemotherapy to reduce the risk of complications and increase its effectiveness.
Ozone therapy also leads to the inactivation of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. In bacteria, it acts by a mechanism that interrupts the integrity of the wrapping of bacterial cells, causing the oxidation of phospholipids and lipoproteins.
In fungi, ozone inhibits cell growth at certain stages and in viruses, damages viral capsid, and alters the reproductive cycle by disrupting contact between the virus and the cell by peroxidation.
Some studies have already shown its effectiveness in infections such as Lyme disease, vaginal infections and even vaginal or intestinal thrush.
Some complications of diabetes can be attributed to oxidative stress in the body, and studies have shown that ozone activates the antioxidant system that affects blood sugar. Discover other ways to treat different types of diabetes.
In addition, because this therapy contributes to blood circulation, it can improve the vascularity of tissues affected by the lack of oxygen produced by diabetes. Thus, and although there are no studies with well-proven results, this type of therapy can also be attempted to improve ulcer healing in people with diabetes.
Ozone can also be used to treat wounds by applying the gas directly to the affected area. In an in vitro study, ozone has been found to be very effective at reducing levels of Acinetobacter baumannii, Clostridium difficile and Staphylococcus aureus.
Ozone can also be used to treat inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis, rheumatism, macular degeneration, herniated disk, circulatory problems, severe acute respiratory syndrome, hypoxic and ischemic symptoms and to lower blood cholesterol.
In addition, it has also been used in dentistry, in the treatment of tooth decay. Learn how to identify and treat tooth decay.
Ozone treatment should be performed by a health care professional and should never be inhaled.
There are many ways to perform ozone therapy, applying the gas directly to the skin, if you want to treat a wound, intravenously or intramuscularly. To administer ozone through the vein, to treat other health problems, a certain amount of blood is collected and mixed with ozone, and then given back to the person intravenously. It can also be administered intramuscularly, in which ozone can be mixed with the person’s blood or with sterilized water.
In addition, other techniques, such as intradcal injection, paravertebral or rectal insufflation, are also used, in which a mixture of ozone and oxygen is introduced through a catheter into the colon.
The fact that ozone is mildly unstable makes it a little unpredictable and can damage red blood cells, so the amount used in the treatment should be accurate.
Medical ozone is contraindicated in pregnancy, as well as in patients with acute myocardial infarction, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, alcohol poisoning or clotting problems, especially in cases of favism.