Medical Conditions Treated with HBOT

Recent scientific studies have proven that many injuries and illnesses involve the lack of oxygen-rich blood. As a result, oxygen is unable to travel to affected areas of the body. This lack of oxygen is called hypoxia.

The most prevalent condition is the case of diabetes. Here, slowed circulation makes it difficult for oxygen-rich red blood cells to reach wounded areas of the skin. As a result, these injuries heal slowly or do not heal at all.

HBOT is being used to treat many different medical conditions and injuries by increasing the level of oxygen in the tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a stand-alone treatment or a procedure that can enhance the action of medicines, such as antibiotics. In all circumstances, it is advisable to consult a doctor or health care professional before undergoing HBOT.

COVID-19

As per the limited recent research conducted on severely ill patients suffering from COVID-19 and severe shortness of breath and those on ventilator, HBOT has proved as a life saving therapy. For patients with severe shortness of breath, five sessions of HBOT and for those on ventilator, twenty sessions of HBOT were done. After the sessions, the patients were out of the critically ill status and recovered.

Anti Aging

Body cells (including skin cells) get damaged as the body ages and also due to the toxic environment that we get exposed to. HBOT helps by combating these degenerative conditions by putting the life back into such cells and tissues and helps in regeneration and growth of new cells and tissues. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy helps in stem cell proliferation and mobilization that helps in reducing the speed at which a body ages.

Read more on ‘Age reversing with HBOT‘

Severe Anemia

Reduction in the haemoglobin cells (due to any medical condition) of the blood in the body results in lesser oxygen carrying capacity of the blood to muscles and tissues. Such people become perfect candidates for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Making them inhale more oxygen than they would normally get from the atmosphere, fills up their blood cells with more oxygen effectively reducing the risks associated with lack of hemoglobin cells.

Fibromyalgia

As the currently available treatment options are partially effective, HBOT helps patients suffering from fibromyalgia by relieving some of their symptoms. HBOT therapy significantly reduced pain, symptoms of anxiety, fatigue and overall severity of symptoms in 87% of the test subjects in a study.

Sports Injuries

A study performed to evaluate the effectiveness of HBOT for treating injuries caused during sports has revealed that HBOT helped in early recovery from muscular injury by accelerating cell recovery and tissue repair. A significant improvement in muscular enzymes in the patients pointed towards the positive effects of HBO Therapy.

Read more on ‘Treating Sports Injuries with HBOT‘

Foot Wound Healing in Diabetics

In diabetic patients suffering from foot ulcers or wounds, it becomes difficult for the wounds to heal and many times lead to amputation. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy comes to the rescue of such patients. Various cellular and biomechanical processes that help in wound healing require adequate supply of oxygen. Applying HBOT, supplies enough oxygen to such areas and help in healing the wounds preventing the need of amputation.

Read more on ‘HBOT for diabetic wound healing‘

Stroke Recovery

Strokes cause damage to the brain cells and leads to their death by disrupting the flow of oxygen. Depending on the area of the brain that is affected, that particular functionality of the body may be lost. HBOT has proven to restore the damaged cells and generate new connections in the brain there by bringing back the normal functionality of the damaged brain parts. Even after several years after suffering from stroke, HBOT has reversed or reduced the disabilities.

Cardiovascular Diseases

When the arteries that supply blood to the heart are blocked, that results in acute heart attack and severe heart pain. Based on a research done on a small set of people who have suffered heart attack, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has shown that the death rate among them has significantly reduced. It has also shown that they experienced rapid pain relief and the chances of them facing adverse events in future also went down.

Infertility Treatment in Women

In women, HBOT has shown improvement of endometrial oxygenation and vascularisation with better egg quality, better embryo quality, better response to ovarian stimulation and higher pregnancy rate. In men, higher motility of sperms and less DNA fragmentation has been shown with the application of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

Erectile Dysfunction Treatment

HBOT has shown a significant improvement in 80 to 88% of men suffering from Erectile Dysfunction. HBO Therapy induced angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels that feed the tissues in the penis) that helped the patients recover from Erection problems. HBOT has also shown that that ED that was acquired many years ago can also be cured.

Acute Traumatic Ischemia

This happens when an injury interrupts blood flow to a part of the body, mostly an extremity. For example, open fractures may tear major arteries and affects microcirculation. HBOT shows promise when used with orthopaedic surgery by decreasing complications from severe crush injuries. HBOT increases oxygen delivery to the injured tissues, reduces swelling, and provides an environment enhanced for healing and fighting infection.

Diabetic Wounds & Ulcers

HBOT improves wound tissue hypoxia, among other effects, making it useful in clinical practice for problem wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers. These benefits can powerfully reduce the risk of lower-extremity amputation in diabetic patients with foot wounds.

Thermal Burns

HBOT is beneficial in reducing oedema/edema, decreasing fluid requirements, preserving dermal structures with improved vascularity. It also increases the immune response that can improve healing, reduce hospital stay, and decrease the need for surgery.

Actinomycosis

It is a chronic bacterial disease that causes wounds or abscesses in the soft tissues. HBOT is effective in eliminating the microorganisms that cause actinomycosis by stimulating the body’s immune system.

Necrotizing soft tissue infection

It is a rare but serious bacterial infection that affects the tissue beneath the skin and surrounding muscles and organs. The infected tissue is known to be hypoxic as there is impaired diffusion and oedema. Here, HBOT can improve the functioning of the immune system, by increasing the oxygen levels within the infected tissue.

Refractory Osteomyelitis

It is a recurring bone infection that lasts longer than six months. HBOT works uniquely by stimulating the system that maintains bone growth. Since this system is oxygen dependent, HBOT provides a win-win situation.

Smoke Inhalation & Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

HBOT can instantly reduce the carbon monoxide level in the blood. Oxygen therapy can reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood and restore the oxygen level to normal as quickly as possible.

Radiation Injury

HBOT is the best treatment for patients who suffer from the effects of radiation exposure, such as in cancer treatment. It prevents irreversible bone, tissue loss and prepares them to undergo life-improving reconstructive procedures.

Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease

It is a common disease that results in critical limb ischemia, non-healing ulcers, and amputation. Exposure to hyperbaric oxygen improves immune response, clears infection, enhances tissue growth, and angiogenesis. This leads to continuous improvement in local tissue oxygenation and the healing of hypoxic wounds.

Skin Grafts & Flaps

Here there is decreased diffusion of oxygen or hypoxia. Hyperbaric oxygen can help maximize the viability of the compromised tissue, thereby reducing the need for re-grafting or repeat surgical flap procedures.
More on Skin Graft

Gas Gangrene

It is a grave spread of infections produced by a group of bacteria of the clostridia group. The addition of HBOT for managing gas gangrene is cooperative in reducing morbidity and mortality.
More on Gas Gangrene

Traumatic Brain Injury

A brain injury results in a temporary or permanent impairment of cognitive, emotional, and physical function. The addition of HBOT in the management can significantly improve outcomes and quality of life and reduce the risk of complications.