It's 100% pure
By Ronda Addy
For most people, a hyperbaric chamber is something used by divers to prevent them from getting the bends. Although that may be where hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) got its start, it has since become a recognized treatment according to Medicare for 14 conditions in the United States. HBOT is used as a treatment for some infectious conditions like Lyme disease and for brain healing such as stroke, cerebral palsy and dementia. Let's take a closer look at the therapy.

HBOT involves having a patient completely enclosed in a pressure chamber breathing oxygen at a higher than normal atmospheric pressure. Inside the chamber, the atmospheric pressure is usually 2-1/2 times that of normal atmospheric pressure. This gets more oxygen to the blood, which means the body and organs get more oxygen, which means wounds, infected wounds in particular, can heal faster.

Using a hyperbaric chamber to treat certain conditions isn't something new. Pravaz of France built the largest hyperbaric chamber at the time in 1837 and Orville Cunningham built one in Lawrence, KS, in 1921. In 1928, Cunningham built the largest hyperbaric chamber in the world in Cleveland in 1928. The military began using HBOT during the 1940s to treat deepsea divers suffering from decompression sickness. HBOT was used during heart and lung surgery in the 1950s and was used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning during the 1960s.

Here are some of the conditions that HBOT can be useful in treating:

• Air or gas embolism

• Burns

• Carbon monoxide poisoning

• CO poison • Compartment syndrome • Crush injury • Decompression sickness • Exceptional blood loss

• Gas gangrene

• Necrotizing soft tissue infections (flesh-eating bacteria)

• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)

• Osteoradionecrosis • Radiation injuries

• Skin grafts and flaps

• Some acute traumatic ischemia

• Wound healing (especially problem ones)

When being treated by HBOT, the patient goes into a closed chamber. Gradually the atmospheric pressure in the chamber is increased until it reaches the prescribed treatment level, and then 100% oxygen is pumped into the chamber for a specific length of time. The size of the chamber can vary from being able to hold one to two people or more. The patient's condition will determine the length and number of treatments, and the atmospheric setting used in the treatments. HBOT normally takes place in a hospital or private clinic. During their time in the chamber, patients may experience some ear popping and mild discomfort that normally disappears when the pressure is lowered slightly. The chamber is depressurized, and at the end of the session, patients may feel tired and lightheaded.

Different types of chambers are used in HBOT. There are large or multiplace chambers, which can hold patients and medical personnel, and individual oxygen masks that supply pure oxygen and remove exhaled gas from the chamber. In this type of chamber, a patient can take a break to breathe regular air to prevent oxygen toxicity, while medical personnel may wear oxygen masks to prevent decompression sickness. Monoplace chambers are designed to hold the patient only. In this type of chamber, the patient doesn't need to wear a mask because the chamber itself is flooded with pure oxygen. They may experience some discomfort in their ears as well as a change in their voice when they speak.

As with any type of medical treatment, there are risks involved in HBOT. The pressure inside the chamber could damage the middle and inner ear, lungs, teeth and nasal sinuses, while the therapy itself could lead to the development of cataracts, nearsightedness or seizures. Some patients have been known to experience claustrophobia while they are in the chamber. Patients suffering from diabetes should have their blood sugar levels checked before and after any treatments. For children suffering from congenital heart disease, serious complications can arise with the use of pure oxygen. All of that oxygen concentrated in one place also has the potential to become a fire hazard.

To compensate for the risks associated with HBOT, patients should make sure their condition will respond to this type of therapy. They should answer the questions of the hyperbaric operator honestly and make certain a certified hyperbaric physician is readily available. The operator should be properly trained and the chamber should be licensed. Finally, there should be some procedures in place in case of an emergency.

HBOT can be expensive and last for many sessions, so it is not something to be taken lightly. If you are considering HBOT, check with your doctor and make sure they recommend it and you will benefit from it.