Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is medicine’s most efficient method of transporting oxygen to cells throughout the body. When you breathe oxygen at normal atmospheric pressure, it is transported on the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Under pressure, however, oxygen dissolves in the plasma, cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and spinal cord, lymph, and other body fluids. It is therefore easily delivered to all tissues, and even areas with limited blood flow are afforded the tremendous healing benefits of oxygen.

HBOT also curbs infection by providing a hostile environment to anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in the absence of oxygen. It promotes the growth of new capillaries and blood vessels to areas with poor circulation for cardiovascular support and boosts collagen formation for faster wound healing. It also mobilizes rejuvenating stem cells. Studies show that after just one HBOT treatment, concentrations of circulating stem cells doubled, and after a full course, there was an eight-fold increase. The end result is dramatic benefits for stroke, head and spinal cord injuries, diabetic ulcers, slow-healing wounds, burns, autism, and a broad range of other conditions.

A typical HBOT session lasts 45 minutes to two hours. During this time, you sit or recline comfortably in a pressurized chamber while breathing 100 percent oxygen through a mask. You can listen to music, read, watch a movie, or simply relax. As the chamber is pressurized, you may notice increased pressure in your ears—a feeling similar to that of a flight landing—but there is no other discomfort. When the session ends, the pressure is slowly returned to normal. Hyperbaric treatments are repeated, depending on the condition, anywhere from five to 40 times. Therefore, we encourage patients interested in HBOT to enroll in our Back to Health Program.