Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that more patients are choosing to address infections, non-healing injuries, burns, and a variety of other health issues. This type of therapy allows you to breathe in pure oxygen, which can jumpstart the healing process while offering a variety of other benefits to the patients.
If you’ve spoken with your healthcare provider and are thinking about trying HBOT, it’s important to have a clear idea of what it is, the benefits it offers, and whether there are any side effects to review or worry about. Learn more about this HBOT treatment option and what it can offer to the patients.
What Is HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy)?
HBOT is a treatment option in which you breathe in 100% oxygen in a pressurized. The high pressure used during hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is typically two to three times that of a normal room, increases the amount of oxygen in your blood so that you can more easily heal from certain injuries and illnesses.
With extra oxygen in your blood, your body’s defenses can increase. It becomes easier to fight infections, repair damaged tissue, decrease inflammation, and form new blood vessels. This is particularly beneficial for the conditions of burns, crush injuries, and even gangrenous areas.
Your healthcare provider can combine HBOT with other treatments or recommend it on its own, depending on your health conditions. It can be a helpful option to treat patients:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Air or gas embolisms
- Loss of vision
- Severe anemia
- Gangrene
- Radiation injuries
- Hearing loss
- Bone or skin infections
- Crush injuries
It can also be very helpful in treating open wounds. If you have received a skin graft, HBOT may speed up the healing process.
Additionally, other conditions could be improved with HBOT, including depression, migraines, and hair loss. HBOT is not FDA-approved to treat these conditions, but there have been positive results.
The Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
When considering whether HBOT is right for you, it helps to be aware of the many benefits this oxygen therapy offers so that you can weigh them against the possible risks.
HBOT increases blood flow. It can do this by helping your body form new blood vessels while also increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood plasma. This allows oxygen to reach the tissues that red blood cells have trouble accessing, like areas where there’s poor circulation because of injuries or illnesses.
Because this therapy allows more blood to flow, providing nutrients to injured areas and carrying away toxins, inflammation can decrease after HBOT. This type of therapy can also modulate immune response by promoting the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (molecules).
HBOT is also helpful in strengthening the body so that it can fight off free radicals. These are unstable molecules that can build up within your cells, damaging them. HBOT stimulates your body’s regenerative response. It can cause mild stress to cells, triggering the alarm response that leads them to activate protective mechanisms.
The cells produce antioxidant enzymes, which neutralize the free radicals. At the same time, they heal any damage those molecules caused.
Additionally, HBOT helps weaken infection-causing bacteria. It strengthens your immune system so that your body can do this while also targeting bacteria that live in low-oxygen environments. HBOT can also increase the effectiveness of antibiotics.
Is HBOT Safe?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is safe when used to treat FDA-approved conditions. However, the nature of the oxygen therapy can mean that you could experience a few side effects.
One of these effects is ear and sinus pressure that can cause discomfort and even pain, which occurs because the rapid increase in external pressure makes it more difficult for the air pressure in your middle ear to equalize. It can stretch the eardrum, similarly to what you would experience on a plane.
In rare cases, it can cause eardrum injuries that could leave you with lasting hearing issues.
Tinnitus is another side effect you may experience. Barotrauma can cause you to hear a continuous ringing sound because of the sudden difference between external and internal pressure. Ensuring the HBOT pressure doesn’t exceed three times that of normal room pressure can help to prevent this.
It’s also possible to experience temporary vision changes. You may notice a bit of blurriness, which occurs because higher air pressure can cause your eyes’ lenses to swell and change shape. It’s called hyperoxic myopia. It’s typically temporary and will resolve in a few days after the session.
These are among the most common side effects you can expect from HBOT, but in rare cases, there may be more serious complications to consider.
Rare HBOT Side Effects
To make the most informed choice, your healthcare provider should offer some information on the rarer HBOT side effects and whether they’re something to worry about.
One of these effects is low blood sugar. If the patient have diabetes, they could experience a drop in blood sugar levels that could require monitoring.
Lung issues are even rarer, but they can still occur if you have asthma or a lung disease like emphysema. If you’re getting HBOT in an individual hyperbaric chamber, claustrophobia might be a concern for some, too.
There will always be a team of professionals monitoring you while you receive HBOT(Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) treatment. If you feel any discomfort, all you have to do is alert the team.
Is HBOT Right for You?
Before deciding on any medical treatment, it’s essential to speak with your healthcare provider about whether you’re a good candidate. That applies to HBOT, too. You’ll need to be evaluated for underlying conditions that might increase your chances of experiencing more severe side effects of the treatment.
Improve Your Health With HBOT Sessions
If you have a condition that could benefit from HBOT(Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) treatment, Nenergy Boost can help. Our team of professionals can assist you in finding the right treatment schedule for your needs.
Whether you have an infection, wounds that are not healing as they should, or crush injuries that are not getting the steady circulation they need, Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment can be the right choice. Contact our team at Nenergy Boost to schedule an appointment with us.