Ozone Therapy for Disc Herniation in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is ozone therapy for disc herniation?
Ozone therapy for disc herniation, also called oxygen-ozone therapy or ozone nucleolysis, uses a small volume of gas as the treatment. Ozone is a reactive form of oxygen. Because it breaks down quickly back into ordinary oxygen, the mixture is produced from medical oxygen in a sealed generator just before it is drawn into the syringe.
The disc centre, the nucleus, is a jelly rich in water-binding molecules. When ozone meets this jelly, it reacts with those molecules and they release their water. Over the following weeks, the treated nucleus dries out and slowly shrinks, which reduces the bulge pressing on the nerve root. Doctors sometimes describe this as the disc material "mummifying". Ozone placed beside the nerve root is also thought to ease the local inflammation that makes the root so sensitive.
The gas itself is absorbed and leaves no implant behind. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, ozone therapy is one of several needle-based options in the spinal pain service of the Neurosurgery department. Other options include epidural and foraminal injections, which treat the nerve root alone, and Discogel therapy, which uses a gel in place of a gas.
Who needs it
Ozone therapy suits adults with leg or arm pain from a herniated disc that the MRI and the examination link to the same level, where the pain continues after a fair trial of the stepwise care described on herniated disc treatment. It fits best a contained herniation, where the disc material bulges but the tough outer ring still holds it in.
It appeals to people who want a step between tablets and exercise on one side and an operation such as microdiscectomy on the other. It is a treatment with a growing but mixed evidence base, so the neurosurgeon talks through how it compares with the other options for your particular disc before you choose.
What happens
Ozone therapy is done with you awake, usually as a day case. You lie on your front, or on your back for a neck disc. The skin is cleaned and numbed, and some people are offered light sedation to help them relax.
Using X-ray images, the neurosurgeon guides a thin needle through the muscles of the back and into the centre of the disc. The oxygen-ozone mixture is then injected slowly in small amounts. You may feel a sense of pressure or fullness in the back, sometimes spreading into the buttock or leg, which settles as the gas disperses. A further amount is often placed beside the nerve root in the foramen as the needle is withdrawn, and some doctors add a small dose of steroid and local anaesthetic at the same time.
A plaster covers the needle site. You then rest lying down for a period while the nurses watch your blood pressure, breathing and legs.
Preparing for it
Bring your most recent MRI; the neurosurgeon checks it to confirm that the herniation is still contained and at the level your symptoms suggest. Tell the team about blood thinners, diabetes, heart or lung conditions, any past spinal surgery, and any allergy to local anaesthetic or contrast dye.
Ozone calls for extra care in people with G6PD deficiency, an inherited enzyme condition of the red blood cells that is relatively common in families from the Gulf and the wider Middle East. If you know you have it, or a relative does, say so at your first visit so a blood test can check. Arrange a lift home and plan for a quiet evening.
Afterwards
The effect of ozone therapy builds slowly, because the disc needs time to lose water and shrink. A stiff or achy back for a few days is common as the tissue reacts. Walk gently little and often, avoid heavy lifting and long spells of sitting at first, and follow the exercise plan you are given, since core strength protects the disc as it settles.
If you work at a desk or drive for a living, break up sitting time with short walks. In the Sharjah summer, stay well hydrated and keep your walks to the cooler parts of the day. A follow-up visit reviews how your leg pain, feeling and strength are changing.
Contact the hospital if you develop a fever, a severe or worsening back pain in the days after treatment, or redness around the needle site. **Go to the emergency department immediately if you have chest pain or sudden breathlessness, new weakness in a leg, numbness around the groin, or loss of bladder or bowel control.**
Cost and insurance
Coverage for ozone disc therapy varies more than for standard spinal injections. Some UAE insurers treat it as an established procedure and approve it with an MRI and a record of conservative care; others classify it as a non-standard treatment and exclude it. Ask for written pre-approval before booking. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you check your policy on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of ozone therapy for a slipped disc?
Ozone therapy for a slipped disc carries small risks of infection inside the disc, bleeding, a headache, a temporary flare of back or leg pain, and injury to a nerve from the needle. Very rarely, gas can enter a blood vessel. The neurosurgeon explains how these risks apply to you, including in G6PD deficiency, before you decide.
Does ozone therapy work for a herniated disc?
The evidence for ozone therapy in herniated discs is growing but mixed, and it is not included as a standard treatment in every international guideline. Some people feel real benefit and others little change, and the neurosurgeon will explain the realistic outcome for your particular disc and how it compares with other options.
Is ozone therapy safe if the gas is harmful to breathe?
Ozone is harmful to the lungs when it is breathed in, which is why the mixture is made in a sealed generator and injected directly into the disc through a needle. Only a small measured amount is used, and it quickly breaks down into oxygen inside the body.
How soon will I feel the effect of ozone therapy?
The effect of ozone therapy on the disc develops gradually, because the treated nucleus needs time to lose water and shrink. Any early easing often comes from the local anaesthetic or the anti-inflammatory action near the nerve, and the neurosurgeon reviews progress at follow-up.
Can ozone therapy be repeated?
Ozone therapy can sometimes be repeated at the same disc if the first treatment gave partial relief. The neurosurgeon decides with you whether a second session, a different needle treatment or surgery makes more sense, based on your symptoms and a fresh look at the scan.
Who should not have ozone therapy?
Ozone therapy is usually avoided when a large fragment of disc has broken free, when a leg is getting weaker, during pregnancy, with an active infection, with uncontrolled bleeding problems, and in people with untreated G6PD deficiency. Loss of bladder or bowel control needs emergency care, not a needle treatment.
Will I need surgery after ozone therapy?
Some people who have ozone therapy go on to need surgery, and having ozone first does not prevent a later microdiscectomy. Surgery remains the option if leg pain stays disabling or weakness develops.
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