How HBOT Helps to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the major health issues for people who have sustained a brain injury. The complexity of TBI may vary from mild to severe, depending on the extent of damage to the brain. Most of the survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury are often left with significant cognitive or communicative disabilities.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury was started in the year 1960s. This therapy involves the inhalation of 100 percent pure oxygen which is under pressure greater than one atmosphere absolute (ATA). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treats and improves the functioning of damaged brain and may help the individuals who suffer from brain injury after stroke, accidents, cerebral palsy, or any other kind of trauma.
When a person suffers from brain injury, it is normal that the tissues around the damaged part are permanently or irreversibly damaged. The areas around the damaged tissues are dormant and the oxygen supply is reduced there.
Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Treating Traumatic Brain Injury:
When there is a reduced blood flow, it may cause swelling in those areas. The main purpose of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is that it helps in rejuvenating the damaged brain cells by providing oxygen to them and this in turn improves the functions of the body which are lost due to brain damage.
HBOT treatment is becoming popular in the field of neurological diseases and has been proven to
- Inhibit apoptosis
- Improve tissue oxygenation
- Protect integrity of blood-brain barrier
- Suppress inflammation
- Improve cellular metabolism
- Promote angiogenesis
- Anti- inflammatory mechanisms
- Anti- apoptotic and
- Neuro- genesis
HBOT helps in restoring brain functions by offering a significant energy boost to the brain cells. Through this oxygen therapy, the brain gets much more oxygen than that from normal inhalation. It offers 10 times the normal oxygen amount which could drive the brain cells’ work at high-gear. HBOT also helps in rebuilding the brain connections and in turn stimulates the inactive neurons.
Hence, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) serves as a neuro -protective strategy when given with other therapies for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) sufferers, and it could help to improve long- term benefits.
Procedure of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:
In the treatment of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), 100% oxygen is administered to the patient in a closed chamber. Initially the patients may feel uncomfortable due to the noisy environment, and they are allowed to reduce their stress by listening to music and they can even watch films at the time of treatment period.
When the patient uses a multi- place chamber, he/she is provided with a mask or a hood through which the oxygen is given. An intercom is provided for the patients inside the hyperbaric chamber to communicate with the medical practitioners supervising the treatment from outside.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is prescribed by a well-practiced physician and it is performed under medical supervision. Trained technicians monitor the patient throughout the procedure and the patients can communicate with the technician through an intercom. Though there are minor risks in this therapy, the overall treatment procedure is extremely safe.
The SPECT brain imaging is done before and after Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. The improvements in overall blood flow to brain, which are responsible for the improvements in communicative disabilities such as speech, motor or autonomic functions, are studied.
After conducting this therapy at least for a period of two months (time frame may vary based on the condition of the patient) the brain images of the HBOT treatment group and that of the HBOT non-treatment group have vast difference. The improvements are visible such as renewed use of language, reversal of paralysis attack, and enhanced sensation.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improves the Condition:
Increased partial pressure of oxygen within the blood vessels and subsequent improvement in tissue oxygenation contributes to the net effect of the therapy. The amount and the duration of the therapy may vary and generally is subjected to the health condition of the patient and also the condition it is used for.
The therapy improves the condition of individuals with certain disorders and has proved to be effective in saving lives of many patients. The therapy has become increasingly popular in the last 50 years.
