Dr. Brooke has been extolling the virtues of Hyperbaric Ozone Therapy for much of 2018.  To explain all the things that ozone therapy does, and how, is not an easy task and it can’t be done in a small article.  That is why I have broken this down to two parts:  Part I -The role of ozone injections in form of Prolozone® and Part II – general role of ozone in longevity and anti-aging.

For some this may be too scientific and that is Ok.  Just know that ozone therapy can help and it is not hocus pocus, there is actual science and 100s of years of research behind it.

 

How can Ozone therapy or Prolozone® help with pain? 

shutterstock_790940857 (1)To answer this question we first need to ask another.  What causes pain?

Pain is caused by lack of circulation to ligaments and/or joints.  Have you ever noticed that most of your pain is in or around a joint?  That is because, anatomically, joints and ligaments have less blood circulation and therefore less oxygen utilization than other areas.  Aging further decreases both circulation and oxygen utilization.  This is aggravated by trauma or injury.

When there is trauma to such an area, there is a period of localized edema and inflammation causing further decrease in circulation.  This results in increased localized acidosis and free radical production and even infection, which hurts and perpetuates the cycle of injury.  Decreased oxygen utilization disables the healing mechanism and the condition becomes chronic resulting in permanent edema, inflammation, hyper coagulation, damage and pain.

The goal of ProloZone therapy is to stimulate and increase circulation and oxygen utilization to an injured area and break the cycle of injury.  It also decreases inflammation, delivers mitochondrial nutrients, and eradicates infection.

When there is an injury, the injured area sends out biochemical and neurological signals that draw in stem cells and blast cells that are responsible for repair.  However, they can only do this when they have what they need, and they need adequate oxygen.  The same factors that caused the chronic pain in the first place interferes with stem cell and blast cell growth factor activities.

ProloZone injection results in the stem cells and blast cells getting what they need, circulation and membrane stability are reestablished, pain is reduced, and the healing process is rejuvenated.

 

What is Prolozone®? 

shutterstock_1258510927You may not have heard of Prolozone® but you may have heard of Prolotherapy where natural irritants are injected into the soft tissue of an injured joint to kick-start the body’s healing response.  Prolozone® is a term registered by Dr. Frank Shallenberger for combining Prolotherapy and Ozone therapy.  It re-polarizes injured cell membranes and improves circulation, reverses acidosis, reduces inflammation, improves glucose utilization, stimulates cytokines to kill microbes and improves oxygen utilization.  The result is that the stem and blast cells get what they need, circulation and membrane stability are reestablished, pain is reduced and the healing process is rejuvenated. Prolozone works by stimulating the body’s regenerative potential and therefore compliments all other regenerative treatments including stem cell therapy and PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma).  Best of all, there are no long term side effects.

What is the difference between Prolozone and Prolotherapy?

The main difference between Prolozone and Prolotherapy is that prolozone uses oxygen to promote healing whereas prolotherapy uses inflammation to stimulate growth factors.  Prolotherapy can be very painful.  In contrast, most patients receiving Prolozone feel immediate improvement.  Prolotherapy requires many injections per treatment, whereas most of the time prolozone requires one or very few.

What conditions respond to Prolozone?

The answer is anything associated with pain!

shutterstock_281182010The list is long, and includes chronic neck and back pain, rotator cuff injuries, degenerative and arthritic hips and knees, degenerated discs, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, sciatica, heel spurs, neuromas, tennis elbow, sciatica, sinus infections, pelvic disorders, dental infections, post orthopedic surgery pain, non-union fractures, scars, any sports injury, and pelvic floor syndrome.

The value of Prolozone is that it actually results in a correction of the pathology of the disorder.  The efficacy of zone, even without the entire Prolozone protocol has been proven in international clinical studies.

In a 2005 randomized controlled study looking at intra-foraminal O3 versus peri-radicular steroidal infiltration in lower back pain, it was concluded “oxygen-ozone treatment was highly effective in relieving acute and chronic lower back pain and sciatica.  The gas mixture can be administered as a first treatment to replace epidural steroids.”  Another study in 2008 validated “the painkilling effect of ozone-oxygen injection on osteoarthritis of the joints and spine.  Its long term effect on pain advocates the likelihood of some histological changes as mechanism of action.”

Conclusion

Alpine Integrated Medicine_13_DecOzone injections and Prolozone Therapy is proven to decrease your joint pains while at the same time stimulating the body’s own healing response.  Compared to pain meds, other expensive injections, and surgeries, the cost is very low.  There are no side effects, making this Therapy something everyone should try if they are working on alleviating body pain, especially before they resort to more intensive and costly therapies or drugs.  Please contact the clinic if you have questions or to book the treatment.  You can also email me directly with questions by visiting my bio on our website, aim4healthnw.com.

Here’s to a pain free 2019!