For those suffering with chronic pain, finding relief can sometimes feel hopeless. Luckily, there are several different treatment options in Naturopathic Medicine that can be explored. Diet, counselling, botanicals, neural therapy, ozone therapy, biopuncture, acupuncture, prolotherapy and prolozone therapy can all be helpful in pain treatment. Today we will review three treatment options: Neural Therapy, Ozone therapy and Prolozone.
Neural Therapy
One possible source of chronic pain is caused by a disruption in the nervous system. An interruption in the autonomic nervous system, by injury, infection, toxicity, scars or emotional distress prevents the body from running smoothly. This can compromise almost any body system and can cause pain. Neural Therapy targets the autonomic nervous system and balances it out. Neural therapy is an injection of local anesthetic (procaine or lidocaine), vitamins, chelating agents and various homeopathics (that are specific to the tissue being healed). This mixture is administered into scar tissue, acupuncture points, muscle trigger points, nerve points, glands or an autonomic ganglion. This therapy helps treat pain, especially if the pain is caused by a disruption of nerves.
Ozone Therapy
Ozone therapy works by donating an oxygen molecule to the free radicals in the body. Free radicals are formed when the body is under oxidative stress, which can be caused by infection, illness or injury. Free radicals can lead to inflammation and pain. There are two main types of ozone therapy that we use at the clinic: Auto-hemotherapy and hydrogen peroxide therapy. Hydrogen peroxide therapy works by regulating certain enzymatic reactions in the body to further increase the oxygen content in the bloodstream which leads to many therapeutic benefits. Hydrogen peroxide therapy can be administered topically, orally or injected intravenously. Ozone therapy is most effective when treating vascular and degenerative diseases but also helps a long list of conditions.
Prolozone
Prolozone therapy uses some of the same principles as ozone therapy; it donates an oxygen molecule where there is oxidative damage. However, with prolozone therapy, the substances that the body needs to rebuild and heal an area is also administered. Prolozone therapy is an injection into the joints and areas of reduced oxygen uptake. This therapy is useful in treating neck pain, back pain, arthritic hips and knees, shoulder and elbow pain, degenerated disks, rotator cuff injuries and many more musculoskeletal problems. According to the official prolozone website, prolozone has a 75% success rate at completely relieving pain!
To find out more about treatment options and which one is best for you, book an appointment with Dr. Mason-Wood,ND.