What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)?
In hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the user is treated with oxygen under increased pressure in a pressure chamber (hence the term hyperbaric). The combination of a high concentration of oxygen and high ambient pressure means that large amounts of oxygen are absorbed into the bloodstream and transported throughout the body. The increased amount of oxygen delivered to the body’s tissues stimulates the formation of new blood vessels in oxygen-poor tissue and helps the white blood cells kill bacteria. Under normal conditions, the blood pigment (hemoglobin) in the red blood cells (erythrocytes) is already more than 98 percent saturated with oxygen, so an increase is hardly possible with the oxygen supply from normal breathing air. In hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the external pressure is increased from 1.3 -4 atmospheres of pressure (atm). Wellness systems with pressure below 2 atm are not considered medical treatment and can therefore be used by many different institutions.
HBOT helps more oxygen enter the body than would otherwise be possible. With hyperbaric oxygen therapy, up to seven percent oxygen can be dissolved in the blood, which is more than 20 times the normal value. The metabolism in tissue with poor blood circulation is assumed to be accelerated, and healing processes are expected to proceed faster. The effects of hyperbaric treatment are extensive, as oxygen is involved in nearly all essential processes in the body. The following conditions are among the classic treatment areas:
- Late effects after radiation therapy to the head/neck area
- Late effects after radiation therapy to the pelvic area
- Chronic bone infections and infections in general
- Chronic wounds (diabetic foot ulcers or wounds in irradiated tissue)
- Diseases of the inner ear
- Acute hearing loss
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Meniere’s disease
- Burns
- Chronic inflammation or circulatory problems
- Diving accidents and decompression sickness
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
New blood vessels are formed after a period of use
Since the formation of new blood vessels takes time, full effect of the treatment cannot be expected before 6-8 weeks.
Other physiological health benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT):
- May improve overall mitochondrial function and cellular energy production
- May improve the health and function of bone stem cells
- Contributes to better blood supply to all organs and tissues
HBOT has a wide range of applications
Recent research has shown that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may help people recover from, among other things:
- Migraine headaches
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Huntington’s disease
- Spinal cord injuries
- Prevention before stroke and recovery after stroke
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Erectile dysfunction
- Cancer: as supportive therapy
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Has anti-aging effects
- Contributes to increased well-being
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Crohn's disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Atherosclerosis
- Diabetes – Type 1 and 2
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS
- Inflammatory pain
- Chronic infections (Lyme, reactivated mono, mold, etc.)
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Minimizes oxidative stress
- Stimulates the formation of new blood vessels
- May improve cerebral oxygenation
- May improve memory and mental performance
- Counteracts and has a preventive effect on circulatory diseases including diabetes
- Stimulates ATP (cellular energy) production
- May reduce the risk of infections
- May reduce stress and anxiety
- Supports the immune system
- Stimulates neurogenesis
- May improve memory and reaction time
- May improve oxygenation of heart tissue
- May reduce the risk of heart attack
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May improve heart muscle function after a heart attack
May help counteract age-related macular degeneration - May reduce inflammation and pain
- May improve physical endurance
- May reduce skin damage from ultraviolet radiation
- May help maintain skin elasticity
- Contributes to the wound healing process
- May reduce scarring
- May reduce tumor hypoxia
- May reduce side effects of radiation therapy
- May reduce chemotherapy side effects
- Accelerates postoperative healing and prevents infection
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Increases the effect of IV vitamin C therapy for cancer patients
Contributes to improved effectiveness of oxidative cancer treatment - May enhance programmed cell death during cancer treatment
- May reduce inflammatory markers
- Normalizes intracellular oxygen levels
- Stimulates cellular detoxification
- May reduce the risk of pathogenic inflammatory tumors
- May improve fasting blood glucose levels, Hemoglobin A1c levels & lipid profiles
- May improve insulin sensitivity, and increases skeletal muscle uptake of glucose.
- Promotes long-term blood pressure control
- Mitigates the effects of metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance)
- May improve heart function
- May reduce the risk of diabetic neuropathy
- May counteract cellulite in diabetics
- Increases collagen production
- May reduce inflammation and pain
- Faster and better recovery from sprains, tears and bone fractures
- May contribute to faster recovery after concussions and head injuries
- Increases fibroblast activation
- May improve concentration
- Increases serotonin levels
- May reduce lactic acid
- May reduce acute and chronic inflammation
- Minimizes pain and discomfort
- May reduce anti-inflammatory cytokines
- May reduce swelling
- Induces fibroblast activation
- May reduce neuroinflammation
- May reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
- May reduce gastrointestinal inflammation
- May improve nutritional absorption
- Relieves soft tissue and joint inflammation
- Accelerates recovery from sports-related and impact injuries
- May reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke
Borrelia infection and Lyme disease
- May reduce neuronal inflammation
- May improve short-term memory
- May reduce chronic fatigue
- May improve concentration
- May reduce headaches
- May reduce depression
- May improve sleep quality and duration
- May increase joint mobility
- May reduce inflammatory arthritis-related pain associated with Lyme disease
- May reduce muscle discomfort
- May improve energy levels
- May enhance the effects of antibacterial therapies
- May improve white blood cell immune system activity
- Increases oxygen free radicals
Comment Borrelia infection and Lyme disease
85% of the patients in a small study (91 patients) showed significant improvement with a reduction or elimination of symptoms after treatment. Read the study here !
What are the risks of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and what are the contraindications?
The risks of low-pressure HBOT treatment (pressure below 2 atm) are very small under normal use. Oxygen is flammable, and all use of open flames, matches, lighters, etc. must be avoided, and all equipment must be properly grounded, as stated in the manual. There are certain conditions that are considered contraindications, where the use of HBOT is not recommended, including low-pressure HBOT (which is significantly gentler than high-pressure HBOT), including:
In Norway, the following conditions are contraindications for HBOT in general: pregnancy, very severe heart failure, recent pneumonia, chronic lung disease, artificial ear bones, use of Antabuse, a history of bleomycin therapy, and active cancer disease
Other contraindications:
- Sinus problems, or sinus infection and blocked ear passages
- Certain blood disorders
- Severe claustrophobia
- Active respiratory infection
- High fever
- History of breast or ear surgery
Consult your doctor before starting HBOT
Always consult your therapist and/or doctor before starting low-pressure HBOT therapy. If hyperbaric oxygen therapy should cause your health to worsen, contact your doctor immediately.
How is the treatment carried out?
HBO therapy is available in simple single-person chambers, or multi-person chambers, where several people can sit or lie inside, which are often available at certain hospitals. The latter use high-pressure HBOT. Inside the chamber, you receive pure oxygen. All you need to do is lie down or sit in the chamber while breathing in oxygen. Your treatment session can last anywhere from one to two hours. How many treatments you need depends on the condition and your goals. Low-pressure (non-medical) HBOT has become increasingly popular for promoting well-being, energy, beauty, and anti-aging.
Recommendation. Read the manual and this document carefully, consult your doctor and/or responsible practitioner before use, and do not overuse it. Some people may experience a detoxification effect as a result of the body being helped to fight disease-causing bacteria or so-called pathogens (disease-causing organisms), so it may be sensible to begin with a short stay during the first treatments and monitor the effect on the body. By short, we mean 10-30 minutes. Later, the duration can then be increased when any symptoms of detoxification have ceased.
Let the doctor know if you begin to feel discomfort or pain during HBO treatment, as this may be a sign of a possible (but uncommon) side effect of the treatment.
What results can I expect from treatment?
Most people need a series of HBO therapy sessions to achieve good results. It is often used together with other treatments. The treatment plan and results will vary depending on your specific condition. For example, if you have a wound that is not healing as quickly as it should, the doctor may recommend HBO therapy together with other treatments. This may include wound care, bandaging, and antibiotics. Often, 25 to 30 treatments are enough for wounds to heal. In general, the more chronic the problem or condition is, the more HBO sessions are necessary to achieve a good effect. In the literature, good results are often reported with between 20 and as many as 80 treatments for certain conditions. It is known that new blood vessels form after 6-8 weeks of treatment 2-5 times per week. 3 treatments of 1 hour per week for 8 weeks will provide 24 treatments. If you are able to use HBOT 5 times per week, this gives 40 treatments over 8 weeks. The conclusion is that the vast majority will experience good results after 2-3 months of regular treatment. Many people do, however, experience increased well-being and increased perceived energy after just a few treatments.
Conventional use of HBOT
The body's tissues need an adequate supply of oxygen to function. When tissue is damaged, it requires even more oxygen in order to repair itself. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the amount of oxygen your blood can carry. With repeated treatments, the temporarily extra high oxygen levels stimulate normal oxygen levels in the tissue.
Links:
- HBOT USA - YouTube channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZbRAtrwHXEI5dnMSRiTuVA
- Learn more about HBOT use and the latest research:hyperbaricexperts.com
- Latest hyperbaric oxygen treatment research:https://hyperbaricexperts.com/latest-research/
- International Hyperbarics Association:www.ihausa.org
