Ozone Benefits

Extracts from “THE USE OF OZONE IN MEDICINE” - by Dr. R Viebahn-Haensler

The Properties of Ozone and its Use in Industry and Technology

Since the 1960’s the increasing pollution of surface water through chemical substances has developed into a massive problem: subsequently, the highly disinfectant properties of ozone have come back under consideration, and the inclusion of an ozone processing phase in water treatment is gaining considerably in importance. The following properties make ozone one of the most important cleaning and disinfecting agents:

Macromolecules can be broken down as a result of its powerful oxidative effect.

Its capacity to react with compounds which cannot be broken down by biological agents or otherwise be integrated into the biological process or produce substances available for further processing, eg by bacteria, is of paramount importance.

Highly poisonous aromatics and heteroaromatics are destroyed, and can thus be removed by flocculation and filtered out.

And finally, its ability to kill all kinds of bacteria and viruses makes ozone one of the most important agents in the cleansing and (re) treatment of waste water.
 

The Application and effects of Ozone (according to the InternationalOzone Association), (IOA)

Extracts from “THE USE OF OZONE IN MEDICINE” - by Dr. R Viebahn-Haensler

Diabetic gangrene - p77

As additive therapy in diabetic gangrene, ozone therapy can be administered in the form of low-pressure O3 gas application under the suction cup according to localization, as described with the example of a heel ulcer.

The low-pressure method produces an acceleration in the healing process because, in the addition, the action of the ozone due to the sub atmospheric pressure causes a hyperemization and a “loosening” of the tissue, this insuring an improved diffusion of the ozone/oxygen gas mixture.

In exceptional cases, a normal pressure (normobaric) procedure can be applied; the transcutaneous ozone gas “bath” under an ozone-resistant plastic bag or foil.

As with all topical forms of O3 application, the simultaneous use of water is particularly important, as “dry” ozone is neither bactericidal nor does it have wound-healing properties.
 

Peripheral arterial circulatory disorders – p 67 -68

A characteristic individual case in which an amputation at the upper thigh could be avoided is illustrated in Figure 20a and 20b hereunder: in this instance a female patient aged 68 who suffered from diabetes presented herself with an almost hand-sized ulcer on her heel and increasing difficulties, expressed for example by a maximum walking distance of only 30 to 80 meters (c 100 – 264 feet). After systemic and local ozone treatment in the transcutaneous immersion bag (“ozone bath”) a complete healing was achieved within 4 months; after dismissal from hospital, she was able to walk home without any signs of intermittent claudication (Rokitansky - 1982).From the vascular surgery department of a hospital in Milan (Italy) Mattassi (1981) reported the results of treatment in over 113 cases with similar results.
 

Decubitus (bedsores and ulcers) – p73

The following quotation is a good introduction to the subject;

“As it is eminently practical, treatment with low-pressure ozone is suitable and indicated in every form of decubitus. The pronounced local hyperemization, produced both as a result of the low pressure and the effect of ozone on the open wound, contribute to accelerated healing. In fact, the method is far superior to the usually indicated circulatory stimulation via side positioning … Stages II through IV – ie skin defects – represent an absolute indication (for ozone); it is here that the two most important component factors of its effect, ie hyperemization and disinfection, can attain their greatest efficiency when applied below atmospheric pressure. This is of particular importance in the advanced stages III and IV: necroses are dissolved, and the wounds supplied with additional oxygen” (Werkmeister 1995).

Here, Werkmeister discusses the results of a study he carried out in 214 cases of decubitus, and analyses treatment results over the period from 1975 through 1988, whereby a closing of the wound at a rate of 80 – 100% could be still obtained in 40% of participants (85 patients), all of whom were in a severe and/or advanced stage of the disease.
 

Herpes Zoster in the trigeminal region (Mattassi 1985)

General weakened immune resistance - p86

Once Bocci was able to demonstrate that ozone produces a physiological release of cytokins in whole blood, ozone therapy started to move away from being a purely empirical method: indeed, quite a number of its therapeutical effects have now become explainable and demonstrable. Among other factors, it is considered responsible for accelerating wound healing processes; it also plays a part, for example, in regenerating cartilage tissues where regenerative conditions of the joints are present. As a general fact, we can talk about an induction of “activating” and “suppressive” cytokins in immunomodulation or restoration of a disturbed immune status. 

Cerebral Circulatory Disorders – p 70

In a group of 43 patients with acute stroke, extracorporeal ozone treatment of the blood was carried out with 3 000 µg in 50 to 100 ml of the patient’s own blood and, as far as possible, repeated over the following days. According to his or her condition, the patient then received corresponding further treatment in hospital.

Results: With a typification of post-apoplectic syndrome in 3 stages, the following results could be obtained: in 37 patients bodily functions (including fine motor control) could be completely restored (T1); in 6 patients this function remained disordered, although the general motor function was retained (T2). All patients could be spared the third stage (T3) with its typical spastic conditions and severest forms of restriction. None of the patients died as a direct result of the stroke.

The nuclear resonance (NMR) pictures of 9 patients, compared with those of the patients not treated with medical ozone, are noticeable for a particularly small scar formation, from which a lower incidence of functional disorders in these patients becomes understandable.

Even if the number of cases is very small and these results need a clinically controlled study for confirmation, it is particularly noticeable that none of the patients could be classified as being “most severely” incapacitated.

Effect: Due to the known immediate activation of cellular metabolism with a rise in ATP – as well as an increased 2,3-DPG level in the red blood cells – a rapid subsidence of the collateral edema is being discussed, which is accompanied by a repolarisation of those cells still capable of reactivation.

“In the inflammation cascade process, this means that stage 1, the edema formation is rapidly overcome. The 2nd stage with its activation of the tissue mast cells is thus shortened, and the 3rd phase ie collagen formation is reduced through insufficient activation. In the brain, the activation of astrocytes, which are responsible for postischemic scar formation, has also avoided the secondary zone of the stroke” (Wasser - 1995)

ADDITIVE THERAPY IN CARCINOGENIC CONDITIONS

Although the use of medical ozone is principally to be understood as a complementary therapeutic procedure, this principle is particularly valid when we turn to cancer therapy. The aim is to lengthen or maintain the effects of classical therapy, and to improve a patient’s well-being, life style and life quality.

With our new knowledge about the activation of immunocompetent cells by ozone, we now have a rationale for the complementary treatment of such conditions with ozone; a physiological release of cytokins in the microenvironment of different immunocompetent cells, and an increase or improvement in immune restoration is the result.

GERIATRIC CONDITIONS

General revitalization

In general, elderly persons respond very well to a treatment series of 6 to 10 autohaemotherapy sessions. This becomes quickly noticeable in the improvement of the patients’ general condition, and a specific revitalization.

Apart from activating immunocompetent cells and producing the corresponding cytokins, a metabolic activation of the red blood cells and the oxygen-releasing effect of ozone may also be held responsible for this improvement in relative well-being.

The activation of the organism’s own antioxidants and the consequently heightened antioxidative capacity of the organism could be of importance in delaying aging processes. If, for example, the activity of superoxide dismutase is increased an increased number of superoxide radicals are scavenged off, the formation of OH radicals is reduced, the degenerative processes thus slowed down.

The three most important effects of medical ozone application are of great importance in geriatric treatment and ozone biology, these being:

1. Activation of immunocompetent cells 2. Activation of red blood cell (RBC) metabolism, resulting in an improved oxygen release    and 3. Activation of enzymatic and improvement in antioxidative capacity.

Age-related macular degeneration

A small-scale study on this subject was initiated by Bocci in 1997: 34 patients (of which 17 suffered from the dry and 17 from the humid form of macular degeneration) received a series of 12 to 15 major O3 autohemotherapy treatments, whereby their visual acuity was tested over a period of 12 months. The results may be viewed as an encouragement to ophthalmologists with private practices – as well as those in clinics – to apply ozone therapy where invasive methods including laser therapy have proved to be unsuccessful.

In 8 of these patients, using superoxide dismutase as an example, changes in antioxidative effect were monitored; a practically continuous rise throughout a series of 15 major autohemotherapeutic applications can be seen, whereas the 2,3 DPG level showed no significant change.
 

Rheumatoid arthritis and the possible mechanisms of action of ozone

 1. Induction of IFN-ß (interferone-ß) as antagonist and suppressor of the TH, cell      function Endogenous cytokin therapy on physiological release of IFN-ß

 2. Activation of SOD (superoxide dismutase)      Removes the O-O (-) superoxide radicals, which are responsible as inflammation      mediators for the degenerative sequels occurring eg in the cartilage      Rapid pain relief.

 3. Transforming Growth Factor TGF- ß      Concentration-dependent increase under O3, released from macrophages and platelets      at the site of damage/lesion, extracellular matrix; produced from cartilage cells,      autoinduction.

- stimulates the production of matrix proteins such as collagen, proteo   glycane and hyaluronic acid - modulates the ratio between protease and protease inhibitors - Produces a modulation of the surface integrines - Improves the cell/matrix interaction and the arrangement of matrix   molecules - has an inherent self-induction through the activation of different cells

Inflammatory conditions of the joints 

Table 13 shows the results of a small pilot study conducted by Siemsen involving 38 patients.

Intraarticular and periarticular injections were found to be without any effect in 6 patients suffering from shoulder joint diseases. All other patients declared themselves to be at least satisfied with the treatment they received. According to the degree of severity of the disease involved, 1 to 20 injections with O3 at quantities of 50-to 500 µg ozone were used. The effect of ozone in intra-articular injection is discussed in Chapter 7.1 and Table 12.

In a large-scale study involving 326 patients, Riva reports on the successes obtained applying intraarticular knee injections with ozone/oxygen mixtures.

The major proportion, involving 242 patients, consisted of gonarthroses, of which 173 cases were without pronounced bone deformation (Group B) and 69 cases with bone deformations (Group C). It was found that, 3 to 4 weeks after the start of treatment, knee motility increased at the same rate as painfulness subsided (Group B). After the ozone therapy series, all patients received electrotherapy and massage. In the 69 patients of Group C, therapy success was delayed on account of the advances stage of the disease. Success was very limited in 47 of these patients after the first ozone injection series. A repeated application without additional therapy was not indicated; in these cases, steroids were additionally administered.

The most successful treatment was that of posttraumatic conditions of the knee (Group A) as observed in 84 patients; after the first ozone therapy series (twice a week with 20 ml and an ozone concentration of 10 µg/ml over a period from 5 to 6 weeks), 20% of these patients showed a complete restoration and needed no further therapeutical measures, not even after two years of monthly follow-up examination. In 80% of these patients, the knee was completely restored, so that electrotherapy and massage were excluded as further therapeutical measures (Riva 1996)

Treatment of burns – p79 
Medical ozone/oxygen mixtures can be used very effectively in severe burns. In the presence of absolutely sterile water, first of all use the transcutaneous gas bath at high O3 concentration to prevent possible super infections; then reduce the concentration to the lower levels ideal for wound healing; this process can be completed to great advantage by applying compresses with ozonized water. During the first week, treatment on a day-today basis is mostly indicated; the frequency can then be reduced to three or two treatment sessions per week. The special advantage of this method is seen in the rapid subsidence (decongestion) of edemas, swelling etc, and quick pain relief.
 

Extract from - Oxygen Health Systems – Alternative Healthcare

Oxygen therapy is an umbrella for a number of closely related cutting edge therapies that seek to promote healing by flooding the body with oxygen. Ozone therapy is probably the most powerful of the Oxygen therapies.

Poor immunity, constant tiredness, colds and flu’s, and low vitality are primarily caused by oxygen starvation – people are tired, low in energy, susceptible to viruses and so on because their bodies are starved of oxygen. People with asthma and bronchitis are starved of oxygen and usually respond well to this therapy. Headaches and migraine sufferers also report benefits (are these conditions caused by lack of oxygen to the brain?). What we do know is that when the body is flooded with oxygen, people consistently report that their health problems go away.

Ozone therapy can be beneficial to most chronic illnesses as well as some acute infections. Today, over 7 000 German Physicians use ozone therapy in their offices to perform 6 million chronic illness treatments annually.

In the last several years there have been laws passed in 10 states to protect their physicians from state medical board actions for using controversial therapies. These laws allow non-FDA (Food and Drug Administration in America) approved therapies (such as ozone therapy) to be used between a physician and his patient as long as “duel-consent” is in place and the patient has been thoroughly informed. The states that have passed these laws are:

• Georgia
• Texas
• Nevada
• New York
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Alaska
• Washington
• Colorado
• North Carolina