Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. Hyperbaric oxygen remedy is a well-established therapy for decompression sickness, a possible risk of scuba diving. Different conditions handled with hyperbaric oxygen therapy embody critical infections, bubbles of air in your blood vessels, and wounds that won’t heal because of diabetes or radiation injury.
In a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, the air pressure is increased to 3 occasions higher than normal air pressure. Under these conditions, your lungs can gather much more oxygen than would be attainable breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure.
When your blood carries this additional oxygen all through your body, this helps fight bacteria and stimulate the release of drugs called development factors and stem cells, which promote healing.
Why it’s performed
Your body’s tissues want an adequate supply of oxygen to function. When tissue is injured, it requires even more oxygen to survive. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy will increase the quantity of oxygen your blood can carry. With repeated scheduled treatments, the non permanent extra high oxygen levels encourage regular tissue oxygen levels, even after the remedy is completed.
Hyperbaric oxygen remedy is used to deal with a number of medical conditions. And medical institutions use it in numerous ways. Your doctor might suggest hyperbaric oxygen therapy if in case you have one of many following conditions:
Severe anemia
Brain abscess
Bubbles of air in your blood vessels (arterial gas embolism)
Burns
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Crushing injury
Deafness, sudden
Decompression sickness
Gangrene
An infection of skin or bone that causes tissue demise
Nonhealing wounds, reminiscent of a diabetic foot ulcer
Radiation injury
Skin graft or skin flap at risk of tissue dying
Traumatic brain injury
Vision loss, sudden and painless
Risks
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is usually a safe procedure. Issues are rare. But this treatment does carry some risk.
Potential risks include:
Center ear injuries, including leaking fluid and eardrum rupture, as a consequence of modifications in air pressure
Temporary nearsightedness (myopia) caused by short-term eye lens adjustments
Lung collapse caused by air pressure adjustments (barotrauma)
Seizures because of too much oxygen (oxygen poisonousity) in your central nervous system
Lowered blood sugar in people who have diabetes handled with insulin
In sure circumstances, fire — because of the oxygen-rich surroundings of the therapy chamber
The way you prepare
You will be provided with a hospital-approved gown or scrubs to wear instead of common clothing through the procedure.
On your safety, items similar to lighters or battery-powered units that generate heat are usually not allowed into the hyperbaric chamber. In addition, you might must remove hair and skin care products that are petroleum based, as they’re a potential fire hazard. Your health care group will provide instruction on preparing you to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
During hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen remedy typically is performed as an outpatient procedure but can be provided while you’re hospitalized.
Usually, there are types of hyperbaric oxygen chambers:
A unit designed for 1 person. In an individual (monoplace) unit, you lie down on a table that slides into a clear plastic chamber.
A room designed to accommodate a number of people. In a multiperson hyperbaric oxygen room — which often looks like a big hospital room — you could sit or lie down. You could receive oxygen through a mask over your face or a lightweight, clear hood positioned over your head.
Whether you’re in a person or multiperson surroundings for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the benefits are the same.
Throughout remedy, the air pressure within the room is about to 3 instances the traditional air pressure. The increased air pressure will create a temporary feeling of fullness in your ears — just like what you would possibly feel in an airplane or at a high elevation. You may relieve that feeling by yawning or swallowing.
For many conditions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy lasts approximately two hours. Members of your health care group will monitotherwise you and the therapy unit throughout your treatment.
After hyperbaric oxygen remedy
Your remedy workforce assesses you together with looking in your ears and taking your blood pressure and pulse. If you have diabetes, your blood glucose is checked. As soon as the workforce decides you’re ready, you will get dressed and leave.
You might feel somewhat tired or hungry following your treatment. This would not limit normal activities.
Results
To benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you may likely want more than one session. The number of periods is dependent upon your medical condition. Some conditions, akin to carbon monoxide poisoning, could be handled in three visits. Others, akin to nonhealing wounds, could require forty treatments or more.