Introduction to minimally invasive ozone (O3) technology in pain medicine

In recent years, ozone (O3) has been used in Europe and other advanced countries for the treatment of cervical and lumbar disc herniation, which is characterized by simple and safe, small injury, good efficacy, and fast recovery of patients. In addition, O3 can also be used for osteoarthritis, frozen shoulder disease, trauma and intractable ulcers, anti-free radical anti-aging, stroke and viral hepatitis and other diseases. In recent years, many hospitals in China have introduced this technology, and our hospital carried out this technology earlier in 2006, and so far it has treated nearly 1,000 patients including those in the peninsula and neighboring areas, with a puncture success rate of 100%, and an effective rate of more than 90%, which is well received by the majority of patients. The mechanism of action includes: (1) oxidation: O3 has unstable properties and strong oxidizing ability, when the concentration of O3 is 60μg/ml, it can fully oxidize and decompose proteins and polysaccharide macromolecule polymers in the nucleus pulposus, the nucleus pulposus is oxidized, the volume is gradually reduced and solidly shrunken, and the compression on the nerve root disappears; (2) anti-inflammatory effect: it can reduce the nerve root edema by antagonizing the release of the immunity factor of inflammation, dilating the blood vessels, improving the venous return, and reducing the nerve root edema. (2)Anti-inflammatory effect: by antagonizing the release of immune factors in the inflammatory reaction, dilating blood vessels, improving venous return, reducing nerve root edema and adhesion, thus relieving pain; (3)Inhibiting immune response: glycoproteins and β2 proteins released by fibrous ring rupture act as antigenic substances, causing the body to produce an immune response, and ozone has the effect of inhibiting immunity; (4)Analgesic effect: the nerve endings are activated by the inflammatory factors and chemicals released from the protruding nuclei to produce pain. The strong oxidizing effect of O3 can rapidly inactivate the above inflammatory chemicals and achieve analgesic effect.