Your spine is a complex and remarkable marvel of nature. It’s your body’s central support system, connecting different parts of your musculoskeletal system and providing you with the flexibility to sit, stand, walk, twist, and bend.

Yet, as efficient and durable as it is, your spine is nonetheless vulnerable to injury and conditions that cause back pain. A prime example is disc herniation.

Your spinal column consists of vertebrae (bones) that are stacked one on top of the other. Between these vertebrae are intervertebral discs that act as strong and resilient cushions to protect the spine. A disc becomes herniated when the outer layer of the disc (annulus) is torn and the inner portion (the nucleus) of the disc ruptures outwardly. This can cause the herniated disc to press on or irritate a nerve which, in turn, can lead to pain, numbness, or weakness.

If conservative treatment options, such as physical therapy or medications, fail to reduce or resolve herniated disc pain, your doctor might recommend invasive spine surgery. However, there is a safer and just as effective way to deal with the problem. Let’s take a look at why ozone injection therapy for back pain is the better option.

Ozone Injections vs. Back Surgery

At Alternative Disc Therapy in Caldwell, New Jersey, we believe that surgery for a herniated disc should be a last resort option, not the first and only solution. Under the guidance of triple board-certified physician Warren J. Bleiweiss, we specialize in nonsurgical herniated disc treatments that include ozone injection treatments.Ozone disc injections have been a standard treatment option for herniated discs in Europe for decades, and there have been numerous studies proving that its effectiveness is sustainable and long-lasting.

Ozone (O³) is a super-charged oxygen molecule that has been used to treat a wide range of medical conditions for more than 100 years. Ozone injections for disc bulges work to relieve the pressure on your spinal nerve by shrinking the herniated portion of the disc.

Unlike surgery, an ozone injection does not reduce the disc height or alter its normal anatomy. Instead, it contributes to the long-term health of the disc by signaling your body’s stem cells to mobilize to the affected area. It stimulates the cells in the annulus to increase in number, which has the potential to repair the tear. It also improves the ability of the cells to cope with oxidative stress. In turn, it decreases inflammation, improves blood flow to the area, and increases lymphatic drainage.

There are numerous ways in which ozone disc injection treatment is superior to spine surgery:

• Ozone disc injection treatment does not create major trauma to the body.
• Ozone disc injection treatment does not alter your anatomy in any way, while surgery does.This can lead to future problems, such as accelerated disc degeneration, which cannot bereversed.
• Ozone injections treat disc herniations as effectively as surgery without surgery-related risks or side effects.
• Unlike spine surgery, ozone therapy is a same-day, outpatient procedure that requires no significant downtime.
• Ozone disc injections do not carry the risk of “failed back surgery syndrome,” which develops in more than one in four people who undergo spine surgery.
• Because it does not alter disc anatomy, ozone disc injection treatment can be safely repeated, if necessary, and its positive effect is cumulative. Due to its high success rate, however, repeat procedures are not usually necessary.

What’s more, a recent clinical trial in which patients who were diagnosed with herniated discsor sciatica pain and underwent ozone disc therapy showed that the procedure decreased the requirements for subsequent conventional surgery, resulting in decreased hospitalization durations and associated costs.

Ozone Injections for Herniated Discs Near You in Caldwell, New Jersey

If you have a painful disc herniation or bulge and don’t want to undergo risky surgery, or if surgery has failed to bring you adequate relief, consider ozone disc injection treatment at Alternative Disc Therapy.

Dr. Bleiweiss has been routinely performing ozone disc injection procedures with reliably positive outcomes for more than a decade. In fact, he pioneered the ozone disc injection procedure in North America. Patients come from all over North America and Canada for this treatment, because it is proven to be as effective as surgery with none of the surgery-related risks and complications.

To learn more about ozone treatment for herniated discs, download Dr. Bleiweiss’ free and highly informative e-book on the subject.

To find out if you are a suitable candidate for this groundbreaking therapy, call our practice today at (973) 403-3334 to arrange your consultation with Dr. Bleiweiss. Or, you can request an appointment online using our request an appointment form.