Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, also known as Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy, is a relatively modern treatment. This therapy involves the patient being treated to breath pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. These chambers, used to perform this hyperbaric oxygenation treatment, increase the air pressure inside two to three times the normal pressure.
Why this treatment is known to have benefits to a person’s health is because the body’s blood will carry this extra oxygen throughout the body, helping to fight off bacteria and encourages healing. However, this treatment might not be for everyone. Before a patient considers this therapy, they need to understand what it treats, the risks, and if it’s right for them.
What this Therapy Treats
A hyperbaric oxygen chamber, though used to treat various ailments, is most commonly used to heal divers that suffer from Decompression Illness (DCI). Divers can suffer from Decompression Illness if they surface too quickly, causing oxygen bubbles to form and expand inside the body.
However, there are also various other ailments and illnesses hyperbaric oxygen treatment assists with. Some issues it helps are more serious and long term, such as cerebral palsy or issues resulting from a stroke.
Other ailments treated by this therapy, of varying different degrees, that are FDA-approved to be treated with hyperbaric chambers, include:
- Air/gas embolism
- Burns
- Brain/sinus infections
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Osteomyelitis (bone marrow infection)
- Skin grafts
- Radiation injury
There are also issues that have been known to be successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen but have not been approved by the FDA. You should always consult a physician or specialist before considering any treatment.
Risks of this Therapy
While this treatment has been known to help in varying different situations, there are also some considerable risks to receiving the treatment. It may seem as though pressurized air is the most risk-free alternative to other medical interference; pressure can affect the body in negative ways.
Some issues that can arise from treatment in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber are:
- Ear injuries/ruptures, due to change in pressure
- Lung collapse
- Eye lens change which causes temporary nearsightedness
- Seizure, due to too much oxygen in the body
- Pain/damage to teeth
- Anxiety
- Claustrophobia
People who have recently had an ear or sinus infection should not consider this therapy. Additionally, those who have a history of ear infections or damage, or those who have an intolerance to pressure change, should not undergo this treatment.
Is this Treatment Right for You?
Are you considering getting treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy due to an ailment of your own? Take a moment to consider the FDA-approved illnesses it treats and take another moment to consider the risks of partaking in this particular treatment. it may also benefit you to do your own research.
Most importantly, make sure to consult with your regular physician and a specialist in hyperbaric therapy before making a decision.
