What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Used to Treat?

Also known as hyperbaric chamber therapy or HBOT, this is a form of treatment meant to boost the body’s natural ability to heal. It involves breathing almost pure oxygen to treat a wide range of conditions, including driving-related illnesses.

 

Patients enter a special pressurized chamber to breathe in levels of oxygen that are between one-and-a-half and three times higher than average. The purpose of this treatment is to fill the patient’s blood with enough oxygen to repair damaged tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy also helps restore normal body function.

 

History of HBOT

First used in the early 20^th century in the U.S., hyperbaric oxygen therapy aimed to treat people dying from the flu. Orville Cunningham developed a special chamber and dismantled it later after it failed to treat other conditions.

 

Later in the 40s, the United States Navy used hyperbaric oxygen to treat deep-sea divers with decompression sickness. By the 60s, physicians were using this form of therapy to treat carbon monoxide poisoning. Today, doctors are still prescribing and supervising HBOT to treat patients suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning and sick scuba divers.

 

FDA-Approved Uses of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Some of the conditions approved by the FDA for treatment through HBOT today include:

 

• Crush injuries
   

• Carbon monoxide poisoning
   

• Traumatic or acute inadequate blood blow in the patient’s arteries
   

• Cyanide poisoning
   

• Gas gangrene
   

• Decompression sickness
   

• Improperly healing diabetic wounds
   

• Osteomyelitis
   

• Actinomycosis
   

• Compromised skin flaps and grafts
   

• Gas or air embolism
   

• Flesh-eating disease
   

• Delayed radiation injury
  
   

According to medical evidence, the use of HBOT to treat these conditions is generally effective and safe. This is the reason Medicaid, Medicare, and many health insurance providers generally cover HBOT for these conditions. However, they may not cover this form of therapy in every case. So if you are considering undergoing this therapy, check with your health insurance provider in advance.

 

How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Works

Body tissues need oxygen to function optimally. HBOT uses near 100 percent oxygen intermittently while a patient is inside a pressurized hyperbaric chamber. The aim is to help damaged tissue heal.

 

High-pressure oxygen can boost tissue function, in addition to fighting certain infections. The ambient pressure inside the hyperbaric chamber is up to three times higher than the air pressure you normally breathe. This increases the concentration of oxygen in your lungs by up to three times.

 

Unapproved Uses of HBOT

A growing number of healthcare providers and spas are now calling hyperbaric oxygen therapy a miracle cure. They are offering it as an alternative therapy to treat a wide range of conditions. You will even find hyperbaric chambers for home use. But while some of their claims may be true, the FDA wants people to understand the risks of using this therapy off-label.

 

The FDA is yet to approve HBOT for the treatment of conditions such as migraine, asthma, depression, hepatitis, HIV, and stroke. Other unapproved conditions include sports-related injuries, AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, brain injuries, and more.

 

Risks

Inappropriate use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can lead to several negative effects since it involves high-pressure oxygen. Some of the adverse effects include damage and pain to the lungs, ears, teeth, sinuses, and eyes. You may also experience vision changes, anxiety, collapsed lungs, claustrophobia, and pulmonary edema.


 

To learn more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy, contact Garmone Chiropractic at our office in Depew, New York. You can also call (716) 668-5400 today to request an appointment.