Each bone in the spine is separated by cushion like disc called intervertebal disc which acts as shock-absorbers. Any damages to this disc or its rupturing can cause protrusion of jelly like nucleus of disc outwards. This condition is called disc herniation which causes compression of nerve roots and spinal cord. It ultimately leads to lower back pain or leg pain.
Many people show no symptoms from herniated disc. To relieve symptoms of herniated disc, pain medications and muscle relaxers may be prescribed to patients. If the pain continues or persists, inflammation-suppressing steroid injections would be given.\
Physical therapies like heat or ice application or electrical stimulation may be useful.
But sometimes, least number of patients may need surgery to heal their disc hernation. Protruded or bulged portion of disc shrinks over a time within a few weeks after surgery. Herniated disc would be removed during the surgery.
Apart from these treatment options, a new method has been innovated called ozone arthroplasty.
Ozone artroplasty is a new practice performed by some physicians to cure herniated discs. In this procedure, ozone gas would be directly injected into the herniated disc. This injected ozone gas will fill the disc and bubbles out through protrusion. The chemical reaction of the gas with the nucleus of the disc causes the shrinking of herniated portion of disc. The pressure on the nerves become relieved. Consequently, symptoms of leg pain and lower back pain start to disappear. Recent studies reveal that it can produce long lasting results with a single ozone injection.