Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is medicine's most efficient method of transporting oxygen to cells throughout the body. Safe and painless, it uses pressurized oxygen administered inside a specially designed chamber to deliver this life-giving element to oxygen-starved tissues. This can result in dramatic benefits for stroke, traumatic head and spinal cord injuries, diabetic ulcers, burns, and other conditions in which poor circulation plays a role.Restore Healthy Blood Flow to Oxygen-Starved Tissues
A stroke is a devastating example of what can happen when the flow of oxygen to a vital organ is cut off. But even subtle oxygen deprivation resulting from poor circulation can impair immunity, hinder wound healing, and exacerbate conditions such as multiple sclerosis and diabetic neuropathy.The most efficient way to deliver oxygen to your tissues is HBOT. When you breathe 100 percent oxygen while relaxing inside a specially designed chamber, all of your tissues and organs are flooded with this healing element. Exposure to this massive infusion of oxygen results in remarkable benefits that cannot be achieved by any other therapy.
How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Work?
HBOT therapy takes place inside a specially designed chamber in which you breathe pure oxygen through a mask while the pressure inside the chamber is slowly increased to 1.4 to three times that of normal atmospheric pressure. At this pressure, oxygen, which is normally delivered to tissues via the hemoglobin in red blood cells, dissolves in all of your body's fluids; the plasma, cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and spinal cord, and lymph. It is then easily transported to all tissues, even those with a poor blood supply.The typical treatment session lasts 45 minutes to two hours, during which you can listen to music, read, or simply relax. You may notice increased pressure in your ears, a feeling similar to that of a flight takeoff or landing, but there is no other discomfort. When the session ends, the pressure is slowly returned to normal. Sessions may be repeated, depending on the condition, anywhere from five to 40 times.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Aids Stroke Recovery
A stroke occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to a portion of the brain is interrupted, causing neurons to die. The injured site is like a bomb blast, in which there is a central area of irreparably damaged tissues surrounded by a transitional zone of cells that are not so heavily damaged. These cells in the transitional zone exist in a kind of limbo; they are intact but not functional.Increasing the supply of oxygen to these dormant nerve cells can revitalize them, enabling them to resume normal functioning. Because hyperbaric oxygen therapy forces oxygen into the cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord) as well as the blood plasma and lymph, oxygen can be delivered to vulnerable cells even in the case of a complete arterial blockage. This is crucial to minimizing the functional losses that occur following a stroke.
Treatment with HBOT benefits the stroke patient in other ways as well. It improves microcirculation (the flow of blood thorough the tiniest capillaries) and relieves brain swelling (edema). Furthermore, hyperbaric oxygen reduces the free radical burden, a major contributor to nerve cell death after a stroke. It also relieves spasticity, more commonly known as muscular rigidity.
In short, HBOT acts on many different fronts to protect the brain from further damage and help it rebuild itself. The results of this multifaceted treatment are truly remarkable. Patients who have suffered a recent stroke can avoid or minimize paralysis, speech difficulties, and other impairment, while those whose stroke occurred months or years previously can make significant strides toward greater function and independence.
What Other Conditions Benefit From Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Virtually any condition in which poor circulation plays a role can benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In addition to increasing the delivery of oxygen throughout the body, HBOT enhances the white blood cells' ability to fight infection, helps the body build new connective tissue, and kills certain types of harmful bacteria. Here is just a partial list of conditions that may benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy:Burns
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Decompression sickness ("the bends")
Diabetic complications
Strokes
Head and spinal cord injuries
Migraine headaches
Multiple sclerosis
Non-healing wounds
Post-surgical healing
Research Studies & Demonstrated Studies
Stroke
In a study published in Stroke, 122 patients with strokes caused by blood clots were treated with hyperbaric oxygen. Seventy-nine patients received treatment from five months to 10 years after their initial attacks — beyond the time that spontaneous recovery is believed to take place. Yet 65 percent reported a significant improvement in their quality of life after treatment. Patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy spent much less time in the hospital and all were able to return to their homes rather than entering rehabilitation centers. — Stroke, 1980; 11(3): 297-300.Diabetic Ulcers
In an Italian study, 70 diabetic patients with severe foot ulcers were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received hyperbaric oxygen therapy plus standard wound care; the control group received only standard wound care. Among patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy, 92 percent were able to avoid a major amputation. In the control group, only 66 percent of patients avoided amputation. — Diabetes Care, 1996; 19(12): 1338-43.Real-Life Success Stories
Click here to read about how other people just like you used Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to get back on the road to health.Additional Information
Click here to read more about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.Contact Us
To learn more about becoming a patient and receiving Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, contact a Patient Enrollment Specialist at (800) 488-1500 or click here.It is important that you do not reduce, change, or discontinue any medication or treatment without first consulting your physician. Dr. Whitaker offers his recommendations only as "generally informational" and not as specifically applicable to any individual's medical problem(s), concerns, and/or needs.