Intervertebral disc herniation is a common and multi-infarct disease. In clinical treatment, there are many methods, such as acupuncture, tui-na, traction, lying on a hard bed, sealing, plastering, etc.. Although there is a certain efficacy, but not easy to consolidate, prone to recurrent attacks. Although surgery is a means of radical treatment, it destroys the tissue seriously and the patient has to bear the risk and pain of surgery.
Ozone intervention for herniated disc is an emerging treatment in recent years and is prevalent in some European countries. With its characteristics of small damage, quick effect, low cost accounting for only 1/2 or 1/3 of surgery and other treatment means, it is easy to be accepted by patients and well received by doctors and patients. This project is a quick and intuitive effective method for the treatment of disc herniation, mainly for disc bulging and herniation can be dispensed with open surgery, a needle treatment, the efficacy is remarkable, and has become the first choice of treatment program for patients with disc herniation.
Lumbar disc herniation
The mechanism of action of ozone therapy
1. Ozone is a strong oxidizing agent. It causes the nucleus pulposus to lose water and shrink by destroying the proteoglycans in the matrix of the nucleus pulposus, and relieves the nerve root compression by the herniated nucleus pulposus. Ozone can also destroy the nucleus pulposus cells, causing a decrease in the production and secretion of proteoglycans in the nucleus pulposus.
2. Experimentally, ozone has been shown to promote the dissipation of inflammatory processes, mainly by affecting the release of cytokine antagonists or self-exempt inhibitory cytokines, such as IL210 and TGFβ1; causing the overexpression of antioxidant enzymes to neutralize excess reactive products; and stimulating the production of NO and PDGF by vascular endothelial cells, causing vasodilation and thus leading to the dissipation of inflammation.
Bocci believes that the injection of ozone via puncture needles produces a so-called “chemical acupuncture” effect, which stimulates the release of enkephalins from inhibitory neurons by activating pain perception inhibitory mechanisms. The ozone is also known as an analgesic by inhibiting the release of chemical substances and by stimulating the release of enkephalins. At the same time, ozone can also achieve the purpose of analgesia by inhibiting the release of chemical substances and promoting the dissipation of inflammatory processes.
4. Compared with other minimally invasive treatment methods for lumbar disc herniation, medical ozone intradiscal injection has its advantages. First of all, ozone is a very active chemical substance, which decomposes into O2 and O- with a half-life of 20 min soon after injection into the intervertebral disc and paravertebral space, and the residual O- can be combined with each other to form O2, so there is no need to worry about the long-term residual ozone causing harm. Secondly, the treatment process only requires a 19-22G puncture needle, which is simple and almost non-invasive and can be performed on an outpatient basis without the need for expensive equipment and drugs, greatly reducing the cost to the patient. The antibacterial and antiviral functions of ozone can greatly reduce the chances of postoperative disc infection.
Minimally invasive treatment methods for lumbar disc herniation had been popular and rapidly developed by both doctors and patients for its small surgical trauma, no destruction of the normal structure of the crest, few complications, good results, less patient pain and fast recovery. Ozone therapy not only has the above advantages, but also has its unique features.
1, ozone is extremely unstable and easily decomposed into oxygen, which will not cause secondary pollution and lasting organ tissue damage.
2, ozone has a strong ability to destroy the nucleus pulposus tissue, but has no significant adverse effect on the paravertebral tissues.
3, ozone does not require high surgical surveillance equipment, which reduces the cost of surgery.
4, the surgical method is non-invasive, simple to operate and less painful for patients
5, ozone has a sterilizing effect and disposable puncture needles are generally used, which can greatly reduce the incidence of postoperative infection.
Which patients with disc herniation?
Suitable for ozone intervention
1. obvious clinical symptoms, including persistent back and leg pain, claudication, etc.
2, positive signs of crural nerve compression or abnormal skin sensation, such as positive straight leg raise test, etc.
3, diagnosed by imaging such as CT or MRI as inclusive or simple disc herniation or bulge, and the imaging performance and clinical symptoms and signs are consistent.
4, with poor results after more than 4 weeks of conservative treatment.
5, the effect of surgical treatment or other minimally invasive treatment of the intervertebral disc is not good.
6.Lumbar pain that has been treated conservatively but not cured for a long time, without obvious symptoms of nerve compression, but confirmed by imaging to have disc lesions in the corresponding plane, such as disc bulge, and other causes are excluded.
Which patients with lumbar herniation?
are not suitable for ozone injection
1, calcification of the disc herniation.
2, CT or MRI presents herniated nucleus pulposus with significant adhesions.
3, combined with cauda equina compression syndrome, such as urinary and fecal dysfunction.
4, combined with vertebral body slippage and with bleeding disorders.
5, combined with intravertebral canal tumor or other diseases.
Ozone therapy for herniated disc
Main advantages
1, high safety factor – in the laser automatic positioning C-arm guided puncture, accurate, safe, ozone only eliminate the nucleus pulposus, do not damage the nucleus pulposus surrounding tissue and nerves, excess ozone gradually become oxygen absorbed by the body, no residual in vivo.
2, no pain, little risk – the puncture needle (diameter 1.3mm) is slightly thicker than the injection needle, almost no risk and pain.
3, rapid results, good efficacy – rapid relief of pain symptoms, treatment of herniated disc, generally only once to cure.
4, no allergic reactions and other obvious complications – the special structure of the ozone on the human body without allergic reactions and residues in the body, the extremely strong oxidation capacity of the ozone so that the rate of infection in the body is almost zero.
5.A wide range of age adaptation, safe for senior patients.