Hyperbaric oxygen remedy entails breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a well-established therapy for decompression sickness, a potential risk of scuba diving. Different conditions handled with hyperbaric oxygen remedy include serious infections, bubbles of air in your blood vessels, and wounds that won’t heal on account of diabetes or radiation injury.
In a hyperbaric oxygen remedy chamber, the air pressure is elevated two to 3 instances higher than regular air pressure. Under these conditions, your lungs can gather much more oxygen than would be doable breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure.
When your blood carries this extra oxygen all through your body, this helps fight micro organism and stimulate the release of drugs called development factors and stem cells, which promote healing.
Why it’s performed
Your body’s tissues need an adequate supply of oxygen to function. When tissue is injured, it requires even more oxygen to survive. Hyperbaric oxygen remedy will increase the amount of oxygen your blood can carry. With repeated scheduled remedies, the short-term further high oxygen levels encourage regular tissue oxygen levels, even after the therapy is completed.
Hyperbaric oxygen remedy is used to deal with a number of medical conditions. And medical institutions use it in different ways. Your physician might suggest hyperbaric oxygen remedy in case you have one of the following conditions:
Extreme 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 death
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 generally a safe procedure. Complications are rare. However this therapy does carry some risk.
Potential risks embody:
Middle ear accidents, including leaking fluid and eardrum rupture, resulting from adjustments in air pressure
Non permanent nearsightedness (myopia) caused by non permanent eye lens changes
Lung collapse caused by air pressure modifications (barotrauma)
Seizures on account of too much oxygen (oxygen toxicity) in your central nervous system
Lowered blood sugar in individuals who have diabetes treated with insulin
In certain circumstances, fire — due to the oxygen-rich environment of the remedy chamber
The way you prepare
You’ll be provided with a hospital-approved gown or scrubs to wear rather than common clothing through the procedure.
In your safety, items such as lighters or battery-powered units that generate heat should not allowed into the hyperbaric chamber. In addition, chances are you’ll need to remove hair and skin care products which might be petroleum based, as they are a possible fire hazard. Your health care workforce will provide instruction on preparing you to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
During hyperbaric oxygen remedy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy typically is performed as an outpatient procedure however may also be provided while you’re hospitalized.
Basically, there are two 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 normally looks like a large hospital room — you could sit or lie down. You may obtain oxygen through a mask over your face or a lightweight, clear hood placed over your head.
Whether or not you are in a person or multiperson setting for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the benefits are the same.
Throughout therapy, the air pressure within the room is about two to 3 instances the traditional air pressure. The elevated air pressure will create a brief feeling of fullness in your ears — just like what you would possibly feel in an airplane or at a high elevation. You’ll be able to relieve that feeling by yawning or swallowing.
For many conditions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy lasts approximately hours. Members of your health care team will monitor you and the therapy unit throughout your treatment.
After hyperbaric oxygen remedy
Your therapy team assesses you including looking in your ears and taking your blood pressure and pulse. If in case you have diabetes, your blood glucose is checked. As soon as the staff decides you’re ready, you may get dressed and leave.
You might feel considerably tired or hungry following your treatment. This would not limit normal activities.
Outcomes
To benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you will likely want more than one session. The number of classes is dependent upon your medical condition. Some conditions, similar to carbon monoxide poisoning, could be treated in three visits. Others, reminiscent of nonhealing wounds, might require forty treatments or more.