Short answer
Ozone is a form of oxygen with three atoms instead of two. In ozone therapy, a small, measured amount of ozone meets your blood outside your body. It is never breathed in.
Researchers are studying how blood and the body respond to ozone. Most of that work is early, with mostly small studies and reports from practitioners, so there is still a lot to learn.
At Charleston Pain Relief Center in North Charleston, SC, the ozone therapy we offer is EBOO, as a wellness service. This guide explains the science in plain words.
Please note: EBOO is a wellness service. Ozone therapy is not FDA-approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Everyone responds differently.
What is ozone, in plain words?
The oxygen you breathe is called O2. It has two oxygen atoms joined together. Ozone is O3. It has a third oxygen atom, and that extra atom makes it restless. Ozone reacts quickly with whatever it touches, then turns back into regular oxygen.
You already know ozone from two places. High in the sky, the ozone layer shields the earth from the sun’s UV rays. Down at ground level, ozone in smog bothers the lungs. That is why ozone is never inhaled in ozone therapy. The FDA calls ozone “a toxic gas with no known useful medical application.”
How does ozone therapy work?
This is the question we hear most, so here is the main idea researchers have proposed, kept simple.
- Step 1: Ozone meets blood. Within seconds, it reacts with fats and natural antioxidants in plasma, the liquid part of your blood.
- Step 2: That reaction makes tiny, short-lived messenger compounds. The ozone itself is used up almost right away.
- Step 3: Researchers think the body may treat those messengers as a mild, brief stress signal and respond to it.
Velio Bocci, a scientist at the University of Siena in Italy, spent decades studying ozone and blood. He described this as a kind of “hormesis,” where a small dose of a stressor prompts the body to respond. It is an interesting idea, and it is still being tested. Scientists are working out what that response means in real people, how much ozone matters, and who might benefit.
What does the research show so far?
Here is the honest picture. Ozone therapy has been studied for years, and the research is still early. Many studies are small. Some have no comparison group. A lot of what you read online comes from practitioner reports, which are useful for questions but are not the same as large, careful trials.
What researchers are exploring:
- how blood cells respond to ozone in the lab
- how ozone may relate to circulation and how the body uses oxygen
- how people say they feel after sessions, such as energy and recovery
What research has not shown: that ozone therapy treats or prevents any disease. That is why it is not FDA-approved for any condition, and why we offer it as a wellness service.
The main ways ozone therapy is given
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Major autohemotherapy | Some blood is drawn into a bag or bottle, mixed with ozone, and returned. |
| 10-pass | The same idea, repeated in several rounds in one visit. |
| EBOO | A steady loop. Blood flows out, through a diffuser where it meets ozone, and back in for the whole session. |
At Charleston Pain Relief Center, we offer EBOO, and we add full-spectrum light to the loop. You can read the whole story of the name on our EBOO vs EBO2 page.
What do people say they feel?
Some patients tell us they feel more energy or a clearer head afterward. Others notice very little. A few feel tired for the rest of the day and plan a quiet evening. Everyone responds differently, which is why we talk through your goals before you book.
What your EBOO day looks like
Here is a full EBOO day at our clinic, step by step, so you know exactly what to expect.
- Free wellness call. We learn your goals and answer your questions. Nothing gets booked until you feel ready.
- Quick labs. A simple blood draw for a CBC, CMP and G6PD test. Your provider reviews the results before your EBOO day.
- PEMF mat. Your visit starts on a PEMF mat, so you can relax and settle in.
- EBOO with full-spectrum light. You rest in a comfy recliner with two IV lines: one out, one in. A few liters of your blood loop through a special diffuser, where it meets ozone, then pass under full-spectrum light and flow back to you. Kayla Blann, FNP-C, oversees EBOO, and our team stays close the whole time.
- NEO red light bed. Next, a warm, relaxing session in our NEO red light bed.
- IV. An IV gives you fluids and nutrients before you head home.
- Power Plate. A few minutes of gentle vibration gets you up and moving for the drive home.
Who EBOO is not for
EBOO is a good fit for some people and the wrong fit for others. Your provider screens everyone first with labs and a health history review. EBOO is usually not offered if you:
- have a bleeding or clotting condition
- are pregnant
- have G6PD deficiency (that is why the G6PD lab comes first)
Please share every medicine and supplement you take, especially blood thinners.
We work with your other doctors
If you see a doctor for any health condition, keep working with them. Ozone therapy is meant to sit alongside the care you already get. Tell us about your doctors on your free wellness call, and we are glad to coordinate with them.
Frequently asked questions
How does ozone therapy work?
Ozone is a reactive form of oxygen. When a measured amount meets your blood outside your body, it reacts with fats and antioxidants in your plasma and forms short-lived compounds. Researchers think the body may respond to these as a mild signal. That idea is still being studied.
Is there science behind ozone therapy?
Yes, there is research, and it is still early. Most studies are small, and many rely on practitioner reports. Ozone therapy is not FDA-approved for any condition, so we offer it as a wellness service.
Do you breathe in ozone during treatment?
Never. Breathing ozone bothers the lungs. During EBOO, ozone meets your blood only inside a sealed diffuser outside your body.
What is the difference between ozone therapy and EBOO?
EBOO is one type of ozone therapy. Your blood flows in a steady loop through a diffuser where it meets ozone, then returns to you. Other methods treat a set amount of blood in a bag.
Who oversees EBOO at Charleston Pain Relief Center?
Kayla Blann, FNP-C, oversees EBOO. Your provider reviews your labs and health history first, and our team stays close during your whole session.
Where is Charleston Pain Relief Center?
We’re at 2294 Otranto Rd, North Charleston, SC 29406. More than half of our EBOO and regenerative patients travel to see us, and we’re glad to help you plan your visit.
Curious? Let’s talk it through.
Text us at 843-604-2276 — we’ll answer your questions first. Your text is already written. Just press send.
Rather pick a time? Book a free wellness call.
More than half of our EBOO and regenerative patients travel to see us. Coming from out of town? We’ll help you plan an easy, unhurried day.
Keep reading
- EBOO therapy in North Charleston: the full guide
- Is EBOO therapy safe? What to know first
- EBOO vs EBO2: same therapy, two names
Charleston Pain Relief Center · 2294 Otranto Rd, North Charleston, SC 29406 · 843-604-2276 · Last updated 30 October 2026. This article is for education and does not replace advice from your own doctor.