BENEFITS OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY

by Stephanie Greco

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, is a type of therapy that involves the patient entering a chamber filled with highly concentrated oxygen. 

The intent of this therapy is to repair body tissue and restore normal body function. The oxygen within the chamber is typically concentrated to 1.5 to 3 times the average amount. 

Oxygen therapy, including HBOT, has been rising in popularity in recent years, and new uses are still being discovered.

Here’s a look at some of the most common uses and benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

EARLY USES OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY

The very first hyperbaric chamber in the United States was built in 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was built under the direction of Dr. Orval J. Cunningham, who successfully treated a patient with the flu using hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Following this success, he theorized that the therapy could also be used to treat cancer and diabetes. He later abandoned this theory and had the chamber dismantled after his attempt to treat these ailments failed.

Despite the lack of success in treating cancer and diabetes, therapy using hyperbaric chambers continued. In the 1940s, the U.S. Navy used HBOT to treat deep sea divers with decompression sickness, and in the 60s, it was discovered that the therapy could also treat carbon monoxide poisoning.

HOW IS HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY USED TODAY?

The medical and technological advances of recent years have made HBOT more accessible and broadened its scope of uses. Decompression sickness and carbon monoxide poisoning are still treated with the therapy, as well as many other ailments, including:

  • Severe anemia
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Gangrene
  • Diabetic ulcers and other skin wounds
  • Sudden deafness
  • Vision loss
  • Brain abscess
  • Severe burns
  • Radiation injury
  • Cyanide poisoning
  • Infections of the bone
  • Lyme disease
  • Inflammation
  • Sports injuries

The applications for HBOT may seem endless, but there are some situations where it shouldn’t be used and can even be harmful. Patients who’ve undergone recent ear surgery or ear trauma, have a cold or a fever, or suffer from lung disease should not seek out oxygen treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. 

WHY CHOOSE HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY

If you’re suffering from any of the ailments listed above, you might be wondering how oxygen therapy can help. Here are some of the benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:

  • HBOT brings much-needed oxygen to oxygen-deprived tissues in your body to promote healing.
  • Your body’s immune system is strengthened by HBOT.
  • It stops harmful bacteria from forming infections in the body.
  • HBOT helps new blood vessels form and spurs the growth of new skin cells and tissue. 

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can also be a useful therapy for depression. For those that are feeling the symptoms of depression, like sadness, anxiety, emptiness, guilt, or lack of motivation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be useful for you. While studies are still being conducted to determine the exact impact that hyperbaric oxygen therapy could have on people that are suffering from depression, there are many that point out that by mobilizing stem cells and impacting neurotransmitters, some symptoms of depression may be quelled. This is one of the many popular benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy because of the increased attention that mental health is getting.

HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY LAST?

The answer to this question depends almost entirely on the kind of therapy that you are seeking from hyperbaric oxygen chambers. For example, treating a wound will be much faster and longer lasting than someone that is using hyperbaric oxygen treatment to treat long-lasting mental health issues like anxiety or depression. While the effectiveness and rapidity of hyperbaric oxygen treatment to treat mental health symptoms are still rather unrefined, the effectiveness of HBOT to treat physical ailments is better understood. For example, most symptoms of decompression sickness disappear within a few days, and most wounds will see significant improvement within 30 to 90 minutes. 

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY HAIR GROWTH

One of the other benefits of hyperbaric oxygen treatment is the fact that it can promote hair growth. This can be done in lieu of a hair transplant or other hair restoration procedures. One of the most important factors in this kind of treatment is the circulation of blood and collagen production in the body. When someone is just coming off of a procedure, they would want to maximize this, and one of the best ways to do so is by using hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Further, hair restoration procedures could be quite expensive, which means that relying on hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be viewed as a way to protect your investment. 

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY SIDE EFFECTS

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has some side effects. For one, being inside a chamber for too long can result in some side effects. Some of the most common effects have to do with how your body reacts to changes in air pressure. While HBOT is a rather safe procedure, like most other medical procedures, it carries some inherent risks. This includes the following: 

  • Middle ear injuries
  • Temporary myopia
  • Lung collapse
  • Seizures
  • Oxygen toxicity
  • Lowered blood sugar

One way to mitigate some of these risks is to wear the correct clothing and to speak with an experienced medical professional before you undergo this therapy. 

O2 ASSIST IS HERE

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has a myriad of uses and can treat a wide variety of health complications. That’s why O2 Assist is here to provide the latest technology for oxygen therapy. We have clinical consultants that are ready to work with our patients to develop a personalized treatment plan using our portable oxygen concentrators. See how oxygen therapy can help improve your life. 

Aside from our California hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we can help you or a family member with our wide variety of oxygen concentrators for sale, home oxygen concentrators for sale, and portable oxygen concentrators for sale.

Contact O2 Assist today to learn more about the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and oxygen concentrators or to view our hyperbaric oxygen therapy machines for sale.
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