Elbow pain (mainly caused by tennis elbow) can be a real nag. If you do nothing, it can take 12-18 months for tennis elbow to heal on it’s own. The usual course of treatment for tennis elbow is rest, anti-inflammatories, ice, exercises, and even cortisone injections (which don’t work well). The good news is that Prolozone (ozone injection therapy) can help to heal and regenerate your tennis elbow pain.
Tennis Elbow / Elbow Pain Symptoms
- recurring pain on the outside of the upper forearm, just below the bend of the elbow.
- pain can also be further down the arm, towards the wrist.
- elbow is swollen or inflamed
- difficulty bending the arm or lifting objects with the arm
- difficulty gripping objects or bearing weight on your arm or elbow
- problems doing normal things like writing, handling small objects, etc.
- pain when twisting the forearm (turning door knob, etc.)
- pain extending the forearm fully
- injured elbow feels weak compared to other elbow
Why cortisone shots aren’t a good idea for tennis elbow
The latest study, published in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that 83 percent of people who got a cortisone shot for tennis elbow had recovered or improved one year later. Sounds good, right? On the flip side, 96 percent who got placebo shots did just as well. The study included 165 people in Brisbane, Australia.
So what that means is 2 fold – the act of the needle is likely what is helping. But it also shows us that cortisone doesn’t help and can actually lead to more pain long term compared.
How does prolozone help tennis elbow?
Prolozone helps to give your body a second chance at healing. At the root, tennis elbow is an overuse injury where the tendons in your elbow get overloaded.Tendons don’t have their own blood supply which is why it takes a long time for them to heal.
It’s a nasty cycle where the muscle gets over used and in turn the tendon gets over used and inflammation and fraying begin to occur where the tendon attaches to your bone.
- Prolozone stops the pain and inflammatory cycle.
- Prolozone puts oxygen and nutrients directly into damaged and pain generating tissue
Ozone injection therapy has emerged as a potential alternative treatment for alleviating symptoms associated with tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis).
The therapy involves injecting a mixture of ozone and oxygen into the affected area, aiming to promote healing and reduce inflammation.
The rationale behind ozone therapy is that the ozone molecules can help to enhance the local oxygen supply, improving cellular metabolism and promoting faster healing of the damaged tendon tissues. Moreover, ozone is believed to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which can be beneficial in reducing pain and swelling often associated with tennis elbow.
By modulating the inflammatory response and enhancing tissue oxygenation, ozone injections hold promise as a minimally invasive treatment to aid the recovery from tennis elbow.
How Do Ozone Injections (Prolozone Work)
Ozone therapy, involving the injection of ozone gas into the affected area, has been explored as a treatment for various chronic pain conditions. Here are several mechanisms through which ozone therapy may exert its effects:
- Anti-inflammatory Effects:
- Ozone therapy can modulate the immune response and has been shown to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. By reducing inflammation, ozone therapy may alleviate pain and swelling associated with chronic inflammatory conditions.
- Oxidative Stress Modulation:
- While ozone is a pro-oxidant, its administration in a controlled medical setting can provoke a mild oxidative stress, which in turn stimulates the body’s antioxidant defense mechanisms. This can potentially improve the redox balance in the tissue and reduce oxidative stress-related pain.
- Enhanced Oxygen Utilization:
- Ozone therapy can enhance the delivery and utilization of oxygen at the tissue level by improving the red blood cell’s flexibility and the blood’s rheological properties. Better oxygenation can promote tissue healing and alleviate chronic pain.
- Analgesic Effects:
- Ozone may stimulate the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, providing relief from chronic pain.
- Activation of Cellulose Mechanisms:
- Ozone therapy may activate cellular repair and regeneration mechanisms by stimulating the release of growth factors and other signaling molecules. This can contribute to the healing of damaged tissues, which is often a source of chronic pain.
- Bactericidal, Virucidal, and Fungicidal Properties:
- Ozone has the ability to inactivate bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This is particularly beneficial in chronic pain conditions that are caused or exacerbated by infections.
- Neovascularization:
- Ozone therapy may promote the formation of new blood vessels in areas of chronic inflammation or injury, enhancing blood flow and nutrient delivery to the affected tissues, which can aid in the healing process and pain alleviation.
- Improvement in Blood Circulation:
- By enhancing blood circulation, ozone therapy ensures that nutrients and oxygen are efficiently delivered to the tissues, which is crucial for healing and pain reduction.
If you have tennis elbow, ozone injections (prolozone) are worth trying
Ozone injections may offer a unique and minimally invasive therapeutic approach for individuals suffering from tennis elbow, a condition often associated with persistent pain and functional impairment. The potential anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and tissue oxygenation-enhancing effects of ozone therapy could play a pivotal role in accelerating the healing process of the affected tendon tissues.
The ability of ozone to modulate oxidative stress and stimulate the body’s natural antioxidant defense system may further contribute to alleviating symptoms and promoting recovery.
The existing anecdotal and scientific evidence suggests that this therapy could be a viable option for those seeking alternative or adjunctive treatments for tennis elbow.
Given the chronic and often recurrent nature of tennis elbow, exploring innovative treatment modalities like ozone therapy, under the guidance of healthcare professionals, might provide a promising avenue towards achieving long-term relief and improved quality of life.
Where to find Prolozone (Ozone Injections) in Tampa, FL
Dr. Josh Hanson, DACM has been providing ozone injection therapy (prolozone) for the last 10 years and has provided thousands of treatments for patients suffering with chronic pain. For most conditions, including tennis elbow expect to need a series of injections to obtain the maximal results possible. Most people will need 3-6 injections done weekly or every other week for a period of time.
