Ozone Therapy
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Ozone Therapy
Ozone therapy refers to the process of administering ozone gas into your body to treat a disease or wound. Ozone is a colorless gas made up of three atoms of oxygen (O3). In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that ozone has no proven medical applications. Still, some research Trusted Source has found that ozone may be used to treat medical conditions by stimulating the immune system. It may also be used for disinfection and to treat a range of diseases.
How it works
Medical ozone has been used to disinfect medical supplies and treat different conditions for more than 100 years. It may also help prevent infection in wounds. According to research from 2018 Trusted Source, when ozone comes into contact with body fluids, the resulting reactions form more proteins and red blood cells. This increases oxygen supply in your body.
Ozone gas is harmful when a person inhales it, leading to lung and throat irritation, coughing, and worsened asthma symptoms. High exposure can lead to lung damage and can be fatal.
However, some researchers believe that ozone can have therapeutic effects in medical contexts. For example, one 2011 review Trusted Source reports that ozone therapy has had the following uses:
- Treating Arthritis
- Disinfecting Wounds
- Activating the Immune System
- Treating Macular Degeneration
- Treating Cancer
What happens during treatment
There are many different ways to receive ozone therapy. Your healthcare provider will discuss the best options for you and your treatment.
Three main forms of treatment include administering ozone:
- Directly to the tissue. If you undergo ozone therapy for an extremity problem or wound, the ozone gas will most likely be applied directly to the tissue of the affected body part. The gas is administered in a protective covering.
- Intravenously. To treat internal disorders, such as HIV, the ozone gas is usually dissolved into blood that was taken from you. Then, the blood with the dissolved gas is injected back into you through an IV. Intravenous use can carry the risk of causing an embolism through the formation of air bubbles.
- Intramuscularly. Ozone therapy is also available as an intramuscular injection. For this injection, the ozone gas is often mixed with oxygen before administration.
Effectiveness
Research for ozone therapy shows mixed outcomes, though many results are promising. Several ozone therapy clinical trials are in progress for conditions from heart disease to arthritis.Research from 2018Trusted Source indicated that ozone therapy may help with knee osteoarthritis by improving range of motion and delaying decline. People with rheumatoid arthritis or back pain from herniated discs may also benefit from ozone therapy, according to the research. However, there aren’t enough studies on these conditions yet.
Side effects
Ozone therapy isn’t widely used at this time, and there are risks. Ozone gas has an odd number of atoms, which makes it unstable. This instability means it can be unpredictable. In 2019, the FDA released a warning about inhaling ozone because it can irritate the lungs and cause fluid buildup that makes it difficult to breathe. There are significant dangers when using ozone intravenously, at high doses, or for a long time which may cause blood clots. Talk with your healthcare provider about all of the possible risks and weigh them against the potential benefits.