Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:

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Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment which helps  the body's natural healing progression by using 100% oxygen in a total body chamber with a help of increased atmospheric pressure. 

 

How it works:

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Normally oxygen is transported throughout the body only by the red blood cells, but with HBOT, oxygen is dissolved into all of the body's fluids.  This extra oxygen can arrive at all of the damaged parts of the body and can support the healing process.

The increase in oxygen speeds up the process of healing the damaged tissue, increasing energy, removing toxins and decreases oxidative damage or in plain words inflammation.

 

Approved Indications:

(Insurance and Medicare consider the following conditions for HBOT to be covered for payment):

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• Air or Gas Embolism

• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Compartment Syndrome/Crush Injury/Other Traumatic Ischemias

• Decompression Sickness (Bends)

• Diabetic and Selected Wounds

• Exceptional Blood Loss (Anemia)

• Gas Gangrene

• Intracranial Abscess

• Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection

• Osteoradionecrosis and Radiation Tissue Damage

• Osteomyelitis (Refractory)

• Skin Grafts and (Compromised) Flaps

• Thermal Burns

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Other conditions that can be helped with HBOT:

(The following conditions are off-label which may or may not be covered by insurance or Medicare)

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Autism
Cerebral Palsy
Lyme Disease
Migraine
Multiple Sclerosis
Near Drowning
Recovery from Plastic Surgery

Sports Injuries
Stroke
Traumatic Brain Injury

Birth Injuries and Cerebral Palsy

Alzheimer's,

Parkinson's

Diabetes

Cardiovascular disease

Arthritis

Improvement in healing post surgeries.

Improvement in gut health.

Asthma

AIDS

Alcohol and other drug dependents recovery

Mitochondrial support

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Vision-related issues.

Cancer

Chronic pain syndrome and complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

Improve Athletic Performance

Help with healthful aging

Crohns

Colitis

 

Absolute and relative contraindications:

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Absolute Contraindications (Reason Contraindicated):

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Untreated pneumothorax (Gas emboli)

Tension pneumothorax (Pneumomediastinum)

Bleomycin (Interstitial pneumonitis)

Cisplatin (Impaired wound healing)

Disulfiram (Blocks superoxide dismutase, which is protective against oxygen toxicity)

Doxorubicin (Cardiotoxicity)

Sulfamylon (Impaired wound healing)

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Relative Contraindications (Reason Contraindicated):

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Asthma (Air trapping upon ascent leading to pneumothorax)

Claustrophobia (Anxiety)

Congenital spherocytosis (Severe hemolysis)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Loss of hypoxic drive to breathe)

Eustachian tube dysfunction (Barotrauma to tympanic membrane)

High fever (Higher risk of seizures)

Pacemakers or epidural pain pump (Malfunction or deformation of device under pressure)

Pregnancy (Unknown effect on fetus (Previous studies from Russia suggest HBOT is safe.)

Seizures (May have lower seizure threshold)

Upper respiratory infection (URI) (Barotrauma)

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Possible side-effects:

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The most common side effect is uncomfortable feeling in  the ears and sinuses caused by the change in pressure. The same feeling as you are flying in the airplane. To decrease the risk, patients learn techniques to promote adequate clearing of the ears during compression or tubes may be inserted in the ears.  Most patients take a little water with them and take a sip during the treatment to clear the ears.  Occasionally some patients may experience changes in their vision during their treatment period. These changes are usually minor and temporary(A rare side effect is oxygen toxicity which is caused by administering too much oxygen).

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 What information does the doctor need to know from the patient prior to HBOT?

• If you have any symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. ·   

• If there is a possibility that you may be pregnant.

• If there has been a change in any of your medications.

• If you have skipped a meal prior to your HBO treatment.

• If you are diabetic and did not take your insulin prior to your treatment.

• If you have any concerns or anxiety.

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