Hyperbaric therapy is a treatment approach that has been around for a very long time. The origins of this treatment approach date back to the 1660s, when a physician built a hyperbaric room to treat respiratory conditions. This treatment became popular in the 1940s, when it was used as a treatment for military divers who suffer from “the bends”. In recent years, this treatment approach has been discovered to have many other uses, making it an excellent treatment option for patients who haven’t found the results they wanted from other treatments.

By reading on, you can learn more about how HBOT can be used and everything else you need to know about this treatment option.

Uses for Hyperbaric Chamber Treatments

This treatment approach is still used for problems like “the bends” and to treat carbon monoxide poisoning. However, these days there are additional conditions that can benefit from HBOT including:

  • Acute or traumatic blood flow issues in the patient’s arteries.
  • Air or gas embolism
  • Chronic infection (actinomycosis)
  • Compromised skin flaps or grafts
  • Crush injuries
  • Cyanide poisoning
  • Decompression sickness (“the bends”)
  • Delayed radiation injury
  • Diabetic wound care for wounds that aren’t healing properly
  • Flesh-eating disease
  • Osteomyelitis (bone infections)

What to Expect with Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments

The idea of going into a hyperbaric treatment chamber may seem scary. Knowing what to expect during these treatments can help you feel more at ease. There are 2 types of chambers: a unit designed for a single person or a room where multiple people can be. The single unit consists of a table that you lay down on, which slides into a plastic chamber. The sides are clear so that you can see around you. The room would look very similar to a standard hospital room, where you can lay down or sit up.

The air pressure within this room is often double or triple the air pressure in standard rooms. You may notice a feeling of fullness inside of your ears, just as you would if you were traveling to a higher elevation or traveling on an airplane. By swallowing or yawning, you can ease some of this sensation. Treatment typically lasts about 2 hours, depending on what your specific condition is.

  • Hyperbaric Chamber Benefits

There are so many different benefits you can get from HBOT. These benefits include:

  • Reduction in Infections

For the most part, bacteria cannot survive in environments with a high level of oxygen. That’s what makes this a highly effective treatment when dealing with bone infections or flesh-eating disease.

  • Wound Healing

Whether you have diabetes or you are just badly injured, using hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be very effective in improving would healing. This can prevent more serious infections as well as reduce one’s chances of undergoing an amputation.

  • Reperfusion Injuries

This refers to tissue damage that occurs if the blood supply is cut off to organs or tissue. HBOT can help repair and restore function to damaged tissue.

Conclusion

Hyperbaric therapy is a highly effective tool that can help treat a wide variety of different conditions. People may find that adding hyperbaric therapy as a primary treatment, or as part of a broader treatment plan, can notice significantly improved results in treating their conditions.