Health Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves enhancing the body’s natural healing process by the inhalation of 100% oxygen in a total body chamber, where the atmospheric pressure can be increased and/or controlled.
During daily routines and chores, oxygen is transported throughout the body mainly by the red blood cells and a small amount by blood’s fluid portion. By using HBOT therapy, the dissolved oxygen in oxygen blood fluids is enhanced 7 to 8 fold, subsequently enriching all body tissues, including areas deprived of adequate blood supply. This supports the body healing process, increases fighting capacity of white blood cells, increases new blood vessel formation in oxygen deprived areas, reduces inflammation: all working together to enhance the body’s healing powers. Today, HBOT is a simple treatment option available in almost all parts of the country.
The treatment involves placing the patient in a pressurized chamber certified for human occupancy that has a regulated flow of oxygen in a controller manner. It is a non-invasive treatment option as it only involves inhalation of oxygen under slightly enhanced pressure (half an atmospheric pressure above normal). There are no side effects that may be observed while using oral or parenteral drugs.
HBOT is used to treat all conditions that benefit from increased tissue oxygen availability, as well as infections that require enhanced antimicrobial properties either as the primary therapy or in conjunction with other drugs.
Including the official US FDA and Internationally permitted dozens of indications and some off label diseases/ailments that are being now being treated using HBOT are disorders like carbon-monoxide poisoning, burns and non-healing wounds, brain abscess, migraine, multiple sclerosis, near drowning, recovery from plastic surgery, sports injuries, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, autism, cerebral palsy, Lyme disease, etc. to name a few.
There are basically two types of HBOT chambers: monoplace (treatment of single person) and multiplace (designed to hold several people at one time and oxygen being delivered through masks or hoods). Although the use of HBOT is primarily safe, the most common side effect is barotrauma to the ears and sinuses caused by change in the pressure settings inside the chamber in which HBOT is administered.
To minimize this risk, patients are first cleared by ENT and Medical specialists, and then taught techniques to promote adequate clearing of the total respiratory passages. Grommets or tubes may be inserted across the ear-drum if needed. There are several service providers for HBOT systems in India. One such company is Bird Medical Devices, Mumbai. They specialize in providing both monoplace and multiplace HBOT chambers.
