What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment?

This is of course the most important question anyone considering this type of treatment or simply looking for possible alternatives to conventional therapies. Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy or HBOT for short, has been around since the the first chamber was built the 1600's but really taking off in more widespread use in the late 1800's/early 1900's. The technology has since evolved and treatments becoming more available while with a growing number of conditions being treated with this modality.

HBOT is a simple type of therapy that relies on a pressurized chamber to reduce the size of oxygen molecules to a size small enough that it can permeate our blood and tissues in higher concentrations, thereby delivering an increased level of oxygen to the body. For more on how the actual mechanisms of action click here.  Oxygen is highly beneficial to the body, as it has the ability to promote faster healing, kill pathogens and even assist in the formation of new blood vessels via angiogenisis.

The FDA recognizes HBOT's ability to treat the following conditions as "on label" applications: 

• Air and gas bubbles in blood vessels

• Anemia (severe anemia when blood transfusions cannot be used)

• Burns (severe and large burns treated at a specialized burn center)

• Carbon monoxide poisoning

• Crush injury

• Decompression sickness (diving risk)

• Gas gangrene

• Hearing loss (complete hearing loss that occurs suddenly and without any known cause)

• Infection of the skin and bone (severe)

• Radiation injury

• Skin graft flap at risk of tissue death

• Vision loss (when sudden and painless in one eye due to blockage of blood flow)

• Wounds (non-healing, diabetic foot ulcers)

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There are numerous other types of conditions that have been helped with HBOT and are awaiting FDA approval

• Anti-ageing

• Certain infections that may be difficult to treat

• Burn wounds

• Cellulitis

• Head Trauma

• Auto-immune conditions

• Lyme Disease

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Healing after surgery

• PTSD

• Neurological Conditions

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There are also many other conditions that are not listed here that may be improved with HBOT, our medical team will evaluate everyone's individual needs and weigh the potential benefits in order to help each patient in their wellness journey.

HBOT is a popular main or adjunctive treatment for many types of conditions, call us today to find out whether HBOT may be a good fit for you, and get started on your healing journey!