Hepatitis is a viral infection that affects millions of people worldwide2. According to the World Health Organization, around 1.34 million people2 die from complications brought about by chronic hepatitis.
Although hepatitis can be controlled and prevented, some infections are so severe that they lead to permanent liver damage and eventually, death. With the growing number of people infected by hepatitis, the need for other forms of treatment is necessary. Ozone therapy for hepatitis is one of that.
What Is Hepatitis?
In the simplest term, hepatitis is the swelling of the liver due to a viral infection. The most common cause of hepatitis is viruses, but it is possible to get this type of infection from abusing alcohol and drugs. Furthermore, certain types of autoimmune diseases can also trigger hepatitis.
The liver’s main function is to filter and detoxify the blood of wastes. Usually, the human blood carries nutrients and wastes from the digested food to the rest of the body. Liver problems occur when it becomes damaged, sometimes due to hepatitis.
There are different types of hepatitis6. Although all these types can cause liver damage, the severity can depend on the type of hepatitis.
Hepatitis A
Probably the most common type of hepatitis, Hepatitis A often starts with the consumption of contaminated food or drinks. The virus comes from the feces of the infected person and spreads due to poor hygiene and sanitation practices.
Sometimes, it can also be transmitted through sexual intercourse. With the proper treatment, most of the people infected can make a full recovery and have immunity against further infection.
Many people with hepatitis A do not show any signs or symptoms; hence, they are not aware that they are infected. This is because the symptoms only appear weeks or even months after exposure.
However, when the symptoms develop, patients will experience nausea, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, joint pain, discolored urine and stool, and jaundice.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B can be transmitted through exposure to contaminated bodily fluids (i.e., blood, semen, etc.). For this reason, it can spread only through blood transfusions, injections, and sexual intercourse. It can also be transmitted from mother to child during birth.
As with hepatitis A, many of the people infected with hepatitis B don’t begin to show symptoms until weeks or months after the exposure. However, unlike hepatitis A, there is no medication or treatment available to cure hepatitis B. As such, those with hepatitis B are prone to develop chronic liver diseases such as cancer and cirrhosis.
The only way to slow down its progression is by taking antiviral medication and regularly monitoring the liver’s condition.
Hepatitis C
Similarly to hepatitis B, this type of virus can be transmitted through contaminated blood. Exposure can happen through birth, sharing of medical equipment (i.e., injection) or personal items (i.e., razors, nail clippers, etc.), sexual intercourse with an infected person, unregulated tattoo or body piercing, blood transfusion, and organ transplant.
People with hepatitis C often do not show symptoms until even decades after initial infection.
Although it can start as a short-term infection, the hepatitis C virus remains in the body and can cause chronic infection. Majority of the people who have acute hepatitis C eventually develop chronic hepatitis C. This is also why hepatitis C is the leading reason for liver transplants2 in the United States.
Hepatitis D and Hepatitis E
Although less common, these types of viruses can still cause infections. Hepatitis D occurs only when a patient is already infected with hepatitis B, while hepatitis E is more common in areas with frequent water contamination or with limited access to safe drinking water.
Alcoholic Hepatitis
This type of hepatitis occurs when a patient excessively drinks alcohol over a long period of time. Unlike the other types of hepatitis, which can be prevented by vaccine, alcoholic hepatitis can be prevented by reducing the amount and frequency of drinking alcohol.
Autoimmune Hepatitis
A rare cause of hepatitis, this type occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the liver. Unfortunately, unlike virus-causing hepatitis, there is still no vaccine to prevent autoimmune hepatitis.
How to Diagnose Hepatitis?
There are various ways to diagnose hepatitis. Aside from taking your medical history and performing some physical tests, your healthcare provider will need some blood tests to determine the health status of your liver and determine if the hepatitis virus is present.
Another way to diagnose hepatitis is through a liver biopsy. This will allow your doctor to see the severity of the infection and the damage of hepatitis on your liver.
Common Hepatitis Treatment
The mode of treatment for hepatitis depends on the type you have. For hepatitis A and E, there is no required mode of treatment since the infection is usually short-term. However, you might need to spend ample time on bed rest until the symptoms subside. Instead of treatment, getting a vaccine to prevent hepatitis is more sensible.
For hepatitis B, C, and D, antiviral and special medications are the best forms of treatment. The same goes for autoimmune hepatitis, which can be treated only by using corticosteroids and other immune suppressing drugs. Unfortunately, these forms of treatment are costly, as you will need to continue taking expensive medications for months.
Ozone Therapy for Hepatitis
Ozone therapy has been extensively used5 to treat illnesses and diseases caused by viruses and bacteria.
Research3 shows that medical ozone is a potent oxidizing agent that can effectively disrupt the viral envelope proteins. Without the viral envelope, the virus can neither sustain itself nor replicate. The removal of the envelope also makes it impossible for the virus to attach itself to the host.
Compared to antiviral medications, ozone therapy for hepatitis is thought to be a more effective form of treatment for hepatitis B and C4. While there are many methods for administering ozone into the body, studies show that Major Autohemotherapy (MAH) is the best way to address hepatitis3.
Compared to antiviral medications, ozone therapy is thought to be a more effective form of treatment for hepatitis B and C. While there are many methods for administering ozone into the body, studies show that Major Autohemotherapy (MAH) is the best way to address hepatitis.
MAH is the process of injecting medical grade ozone gas directly into the blood of the patient.
The process of MAH requires drawing a specific volume of blood from the patient, which is then placed in an ozone-resistant container. The withdrawn blood is then mixed with a small concentration of medical ozone gas—dosage depending on the patients’ need— until the blood becomes ozonated. The ozonated blood is then infused back to the patient intravenously.
Aside from MAH, rectal insufflation is another method that can be used to administer ozone therapy for hepatitis. It involves pumping a specific volume of medical ozone/oxygen mixture through the rectum for a couple of minutes.
With both procedures, it is best to have a professional administer the ozone to prevent any unwanted incidents.
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Risks of Undergoing Ozone Therapy
In general, ozone therapy for hepatitis is a non-invasive, safe, and cost-effective management procedure. However, it can still pose some risks. While some people will recommend home-based ozone therapy, it is still recommended that you go to a certified clinic with experienced professionals who can properly administer the ozone.
This is especially true with MAH, as the reinfusion of blood is a critical aspect of the procedure. If done incorrectly, the treatment can be ineffective or dangerous to the patient.
Patients can experience bruising, swelling, or pain at the intravenous site. In addition, they can also experience dizziness, fatigue, muscle aches, and flu-like symptoms after the treatment. Some may even report a metallic-tasting sensation after undergoing MAH.
All these side effects are considered mild and will go away on their own.
Summary
Hepatitis is a medical concern that can potentially infect everyone across the globe. Although there are vaccines available to prevent certain types of hepatitis, some types can only be prevented through proper hygiene and sanitation practices. For this reason, millions of people are affected with this viral disease.
To treat hepatitis, you may need to spend a considerable amount of money on special drugs and antiviral medications. These medications are expensive, and you may need them regularly for a long period of time.
Ozone therapy via MAH and rectal insufflation offers a cheaper and non-toxic way to manage hepatitis. Unlike drugs, it has no major side-effects and can effectively reduce overall viral load on the body.
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References
- Abd. Elaziz, Kh. M., El-Saati, S. H., & Habachi, M. H. M. (2019). Behavioral patterns towards ozone therapy for hepatitis C infection. J. Environ. Sci., 39(2), 25-50
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, August 27). Viral Hepatitis. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/global/index.htm
- Mawsouf, M., & Tanbouli, T. (n.d.). Ozone Therapy in patients with viral hepatitis C ten years experience. Retrieved from http://lomr.org/ozone-therapy-in-patients-with-viral-hepatitis-c-ten-years-experience/
- NU Life Wellness Centre. (n.d.). Ozone therapy for hepatitis B and C. Retrieved from http://www.nulifewellnesscentre.com/ozone-therapy-hepatitis-b-c/
- Ozone Hospital. (n.d.). Ozone Therapy as treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Retrieved from https://ozonehospital.com/ozone-therapy-treatment-chronic-hepatitis-c/
- World Health Organization. (2019, September 1). Hepatitis. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/hepatitis
- Yu, H., Chen, P., Chen, J., Dai, W., Wu, Z., & Guo, Y. (2018). Efficacy and safety of Ozone Therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B: A multicenter, randomized clinical trial. Journal of Ozone Therapy, 2(2). doi: 10.7203/jo3t.2.2.2018.11131
