3 Fast Facts About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Many people hear about hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) only in the context of treating  scuba divers who are suffering from the effects of sudden pressure changes. It’s also a proven therapy for a variety of health issues.  

At Westside Pain Specialists, we’re most interested in the effects of HBOT on pain conditions. Dr. James Nassiri often recommends HBOT to patients who are dealing with bone and soft tissue conditions that could benefit from increased oxygen saturation. 

How HBOT works

Your body needs oxygen to survive. The lungs collect it from the air, which consists of about 21% oxygen. Breathing 100% oxygen in conditions of increased atmospheric pressure helps your lungs to more easily absorb oxygen while transferring it to your bloodstream. 

Certain illnesses and conditions rob your cells of oxygen, and without it they will die. Normal levels of oxygenated blood may not be sufficient to help tissues recover. 

The higher levels of blood oxygen resulting from HBOT treatments, however,  give the necessary boost to get past these localized cases of oxygen deprivation. 

Some of the conditions that HBOT successfully treats include: 

• Restricted blood supply due to inflammation or in tissue like cartilage that normally receives little blood
• Carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning
• Decompression sickness
• Severe anemia
• Bone and other types of infection
• Slow-healing wounds, such as those associated with diabetes
• Forms of gangrene and flesh-eating disease
• Sudden deafness or vision loss
• Gas embolisms

HBOT may also be used to treat injuries sustained in traumas that result from a crushing injury. The underlying principle of HBOT provides a surplus of oxygen as a healing resource. However, too much oxygen in your system can also be harmful. 

3 fast facts about hyperbaric oxygen therapy

When a physician treats a wound with stitches or bandages, it’s easy to see and understand the treatment. HBOT works invisibly, which may lead to some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding its use. 

HBOT isn’t a cure-all

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that some providers of HBOT make false claims about the conditions that can be treated. Some of the illnesses falsely represented are: 

• Asthma
• HIV/AIDS
• Brain injuries
• Cancer
• Depression
• Heart disease
• Lyme disease
• Spinal cord damage
• Sports injuries
• Stroke
• Autism
• Alzheimer’s disease 

The FDA recommends that you insist on treatment at a facility accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society to receive appropriate care.

 HBOT is different than hyperbaric air

A form of hyperbaric treatment approved by the FDA for mountain (altitude) sickness uses atmospheric air (21% oxygen) under pressure. This is different from HBOT, which uses greater than 99% oxygen. 

Dissolving embolisms

While HBOT typically heals injuries by relieving low oxygen levels, its use to treat decompression sickness causes air and gas bubbles that form in the blood to dissolve, reducing the possibility of critical embolism events. 

Learn more about HBOT by meeting with our experts at Westside Pain Specialists in Beverly Hills and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Call the nearest location directly to schedule your consultation today.