What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed how different medical gases, including hyperbaric oxygen, ozone, hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and nitric oxide, are being studied or used as treatments for degenerative disc disease causing low back pain.
What They Found
Ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygen are the two gas therapies already in clinical use for disc degeneration, with evidence supporting pain relief, reduced inflammation, and improved function. Other gases remain experimental. The key mechanisms involve reducing oxidative stress, dampening inflammatory signaling, and protecting disc cells from death. Combining gas therapy with stem cells or bioactive scaffolds shows added benefit in preclinical studies.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
Most gas therapy research outside of ozone and HBOT remains in animal or cell models, and there are no large randomised controlled trials comparing these approaches head-to-head in humans.