Systemic ozone therapy in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with neuropathic pain

Abstract

Introduction:

 Frequently, diabetic patients present neuropathic pain as a complication of their disease.

Objective:

To identify the advantages of systemic ozone therapy for insulin-dependent diabetic patients with neuropathic pain.

Methods:

 A descriptive study was carried out with insulin-dependent diabetic patients with neuropathic pain who attended the Pain Clinic of Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical-Surgical Hospital between February 2014 until January 2019. All of them were quantified pain, the presence of paresthesias, muscle strength, ankle jerk reflex, and glycosylated hemoglobin. The patients received fifteen sessions of rectal ozone and six sessions of major self-hemotherapy. We compared the outcomes after the first session and after the last one (eight weeks).

Results:

 45.3% were 60 years or older, 59% were female, and 89.3% had a natural history of diabetes of 15 years or more. In the first hospital visit, the intensity of 100% pain ranged between 7 and 10 according to the verbal numeric scale, and all presented paresthesias. In 59.3%, there was a decrease in muscle strength, 62% had decreased ankle jerk reflex, and 88% had glycosylated hemoglobin higher than or equal to 12%. These symptoms improved at week eight.

Conclusions:

 The proven analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of ozone make it currently a therapeutic tool among the most efficient for controlling chronic pain in insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

Keywords:   insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; neuropathic pain; ozone therapy.