Sex life and low back pain: The impact of intradiscal ozone therapy in patients with herniated lumbar disc

Abstract

Study design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: To assess the improvement of sexual impairment after percutaneous intradiscal ozone therapy in patients complaining of low back pain (LBP) due to lumbar disc herniation.

Methods: Between January 2018 and June 2021, 157 consecutive imaging-guided percutaneous intradiscal ozone therapies were performed on 122 patients with LBP and/or sciatic pain due to lumbar disc herniation. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was administered before the treatment and at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups and the ODI Section 8 (ODI-8/sex life) values were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the improvement of sexual impairment and disability.

Results: Mean age of patients was 54.63 ± 12.40. Technical success was achieved in all cases (157/157). Clinical success was registered in 61.97% (88/142) of patients at 1-month follow-up and in 82.69% (116/142) at 3-month follow-up. The mean ODI-8/sex life was 3.73 ± 1.29 before the procedure, 1.71 ± 1.37 at 1-month follow up and 0.44 ± 0.63 at 3-month follow-up. Compared to older patients, subjects under 50 years showed a significantly slower recovery of sexual impairment (p = 0.003). The treated levels were L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 in 4, 116, and 37 patients, respectively. Patients with L3-L4 disc herniation showed less sexual disability at presentation, with a significantly faster improvement of sexual life (p = 0.03).

Conclusions: Percutaneous intradiscal ozone therapy is highly effective in reducing sexual impairment due to lumbar disc herniation, and the improvement is faster in older patients and in the case of L3-L4 disc involvement.

Keywords: Spine; interventional procedures; low back pain; ozone therapy; sex life.