Research has indicated the positive effects of ozone therapy as a natural treatment for chronic disease. This therapy uses a specific type of oxygen, O3, which contains three atoms of oxygen in one molecule instead of only two. In the natural atmosphere, ozone protects against harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. This is why there is much concern about depletion of the atmosphere’s ozone layer due to materials like chlorofluorocarbons that release chlorine, which is destructive to ozone.
A Brief History
For medical use, the substance is created by moving two-atom molecules of oxygen through an electric coil, which converts them to three-atom molecules. Ozone originally was used in medicine to disinfect hospitals in the middle part of the 19th Century. Researchers later discovered that its antibacterial characteristics were useful for cleaning wounds and preventing infection.
Potential Benefits
The potential healing properties of ozone for chronic disease are related to a theory that many people are chronically deprived of oxygen to a certain extent. Advocates of this therapy list a large number of benefits that have been associated with it. It may activate enzymes that are essential in the elimination of free radicals, for example, helping to heal and prevent disease. It may increase the amount of oxygen released from the blood into tissue that needs the substance for healing. Blood circulation is enhanced, with the red cells becoming more flexible.
Patients may be inclined to try this therapy when they have been diagnosed with a chronic condition that is not curable, at least for now. This may not be a terminal disease, but it may be one that causes problems for the rest of the person’s life. With the benefits of additional oxygen provided to the body, a significant reduction in symptoms may be experienced.
Administration of This Complementary Therapy
The therapy can be administered in many ways, depending on the patient’s health issue. It is most commonly provided by alternative practitioners like naturopaths. Patients with chronic diseases are encouraged to continue receiving health monitoring and treatment from their medical or osteopathic doctor, or their specialist. They may use ozone therapy as a complementary treatment.