Did you know that ozone therapy was first developed in 1857 and used in Germany to purify the blood? It was also used in Germany in 1980 on 384,775 patients, with an extremely low rate of side effects. It’s now recognized in many countries, such as France, Italy, and Russia.
In addition, more and more research into ozone therapy is taking place in the US. If you’re considering IV ozone therapy, your first step is to learn more about how it works and its benefits. You’ll also need to find an experienced naturopathic doctor to get more information about the benefits of this treatment.
In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about IV ozone therapy to see if it’s the right choice for you.
What Is IV Ozone Therapy?
Ozone is a naturally occurring gas that consists of three oxygen atoms. Medical ozone therapy has been used to treat various medical conditions and disinfect medical supplies for over 100 years.
Ozone therapy is an alternative medicine therapy that uses ozone gas to treat diseases or wounds.
With IV ozone therapy, a small sample of a person’s blood is mixed with the equivalent amount of ozone. The substance is infused into the bloodstream by an IV drip.
Ozone therapy for wounds involves directly applying ozone gas to the affected tissue. There are also ozone therapy injections that involve mixing ozone gas and oxygen before giving the injection.
How IV Ozone Therapy Works
According to research, when your body fluids come into contact with ozone, they form more red blood cells and proteins. As a result, it increases the oxygen supply in the body.
It can also cause your body to experience mild, transient oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when you have an imbalance of antioxidants and free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules in the body that come from the normal metabolism process.
They’re also made after exposure to environmental toxins and cigarette smoke. Too many free radicals can lead to DNA changes and, ultimately, conditions like cancer. However, the effects of mild oxidative stress can lead to the production of antioxidants and tissue growth.
Ozone therapy interferes with various unhealthy processes that can occur in your body. Ozone therapy can help inactivate processes that involve:
- Viruses
- Bacteria
- Fungi
- Yeast
It can also interfere with protozoa or single-cell organisms that can cause diseases like malaria.
What Conditions Can Ozone Therapy Treat?
People turn to ozone therapy to treat a variety of chronic medical conditions, such as:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Cancer
- Macular degeneration
- Diabetic wounds
- Viral diseases like SARS and HIV
- Autoimmune diseases
- Breathing disorders like COPD
Ozone therapy can also be effective in treating people with fibromyalgia.
A study of 65 males and females aged 30 to 72 was done from February 2016 to October 2018. They received ozone therapy twice weekly for a month, then twice monthly for maintenance. Approximately 70% of the patients in the study reported significant improvement in their symptoms and reported no major side effects.
Many people also report increased energy levels and a sense of well-being after IV ozone treatment.
IV Ozone Therapy Procedure
You’ll need to speak to your IV ozone therapy practitioner about what to do to prepare for the treatment. Most of the time, you’ll only need to drink plenty of water before the procedure, so you’re well hydrated.
During the procedure, you might feel a slight burning sensation when the ozone is administered. However, this feeling is normal and typically subsides within minutes.
Some people feel the effects of IV ozone therapy immediately, while for other people, it takes up to a week. You also won’t experience any downtime after the treatment and can return to work and other everyday activities.
The number of sessions you need depends on your overall health and the condition you’re treating. In general, regular IV ozone therapy treatments at least 3 to 5 times a week will give you the most noticeable results.
Benefits of IV Ozone Therapy
Due to its ability to treat various medical conditions, ozone therapy can provide different health benefits and improve your overall health. These benefits include:
Has Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Antifungal Healing Properties
Since ozone interferes with viruses, bacteria, and fungi, it can help resolve various bacterial and viral infections.
Many people who receive ozone therapy for viruses like the flu or other respiratory viruses report improvements. In fact, ozone therapy is even being looked at as a possible treatment for COVID-19. Because ozone increases the oxygen levels in your blood, it can help reduce stress on the lungs.
Some people develop antibiotic resistance and have a difficult time finding effective antibiotics. Ozone’s antibacterial properties can help to fight these types of bacterial infections.
Ozone therapy also helps decrease the symptoms of common colds and gastrointestinal infections.
Provides Back Pain Relief
Chronic back pain is one of the most common causes of doctor’s visits, affecting over 20% of American adults.
Many people have episodes of acute back pain, which lasts less than three months. However, others develop chronic back pain, which lasts over three months after the initial injury has healed. Some chronic back pain has no known cause.
Since ozone has anti-inflammatory properties, it can reduce inflammation and provide relief for people with chronic back pain. It may also be effective for people who have pain from herniated discs.
Can Decrease Complications From Diabetes
Ozone therapy can also reduce diabetic complications like foot ulcers and infections.
Diabetic foot ulcers are one of the most common complications of diabetes and are challenging to treat. This is because people with diabetes have nerve damage and poor circulation in their legs and feet.
As a result, people with diabetes easily develop sores and ulcers on their feet. Due to poor circulation, these ulcers can take a long time to heal. In some cases, the infection spreads to other foot and leg areas. When this occurs, the food must be amputated to prevent infection from spreading to the rest of the body.
A study in 2019 showed that people who received ozone therapy and conventional wound treatment had reduced healing time, complete wound closure, and lower levels of inflammation by the end of the study.
Improved Immune System Function
Since ozone therapy effectively treats immune conditions like HIV, it can also boost your immune system and reduce inflammation.
People with autoimmune disorders and conditions like asthma often have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies. Too much inflammation leads to too many free radicals in your body.
Since ozone contains antioxidative properties, it can help reduce the damage caused by free radicals, which reduces your risk of developing infections or illnesses like cancer.
It can also help heal the damage caused by chronic inflammation. As a result, it can help many inflammatory conditions like asthma, arthritis, and Crohn’s disease.
Contributes to Healthier Skin
Many people also use ozone therapy to improve their skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Remember, ozone increases the oxygen in the cells, providing your skin cells with the oxygen they need. In addition, the antioxidant properties in ozone increase the elastin and collagen activity in your skin.
Ultimately, this leads to rejuvenated and healthier-looking skin.
Finding an IV Ozone Therapy Practitioner
It’s best to find an experienced functional medicine provider. Functional medicine takes a holistic approach by focusing on the individual person. It also focuses on finding the root cause of the disease instead of only addressing the symptoms.
Many people turn to functional medicine when traditional medicine fails to relieve the symptoms they’re experiencing. Functional medicine can treat chronic conditions, such as:
- Arthritis
- Chronic pain
- Fibromyalgia
- High blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Your functional medicine provider will discuss the risks and benefits of IV ozone therapy with you.
Your doctor may also recommend other treatments like regenerative joint injections or nutritional IV therapy.
A functional medicine doctor will work with you on all aspects of your life. You’ll get counseling on making healthy dietary and lifestyle changes. Usually, this involves starting a daily exercise program, taking supplements, and eating less unhealthy fats and sugar.
IV Ozone Therapy Cost
IV ozone therapy costs vary widely, from $50 to $1,200. Most of the time, IV ozone therapy isn’t covered by health insurance or Medicare.
Many healthcare providers have different pricing depending on how many treatments you need. Your best course of action is to talk to your healthcare provider to get a better idea of the total cost.
Enjoy the Benefits of IV Ozone Therapy Today
Now that you know more about IV ozone therapy and its benefits, you’ll be better able to decide if it’s an option for you.
You can turn to Desert Wellness Center for all your healthcare needs if you’re looking for natural treatments like ozone therapy to treat symptoms or a chronic health condition.
We offer naturopathic medicine and wellness, bioidentical hormone therapy, IV nutritional therapies, regenerative joint injections, and more. We use a holistic approach to determine the root cause of the symptoms you’re experiencing.
We look forward to helping you achieve optimal wellness, so make sure to contact us today to schedule an appointment!