FAQs

Before HBOT

Before HBOT

The concentration of oxygen in the blood plasma is low. Note that the effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen is different from simply putting on an oxygen mask at 1 atmosphere.


After HBOT

After HBOT

The increased pressure at 1.3 atmospheres during Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment causes oxygen to dissolve into the blood plasma, lymph and cerebral spinal fluid. It is in this dissolved state that oxygen moves into tissue and oxygenates hypoxic and inflamed areas.


Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY (HBOT)?
HBOT is a method of delivering extra oxygen into the body, mainly through the process of increasing the pressure that the body is normally under. In terms of HBOT, pressure is normally quantified in ATA and currently we are all standardized to be less than 1.0 ATA of atmospheric pressure. When someone undergoes hyperbaric therapy, the pressure becomes greater than 1.0 ATA and in hospitals and wound care centers can typically reach 2.0 or even 3.0 ATA. Each atmospheric pressure represents 33 feet of seawater, so at 2.0 ATA, it would be equivalent for you to be at a depth of 33 feet below sea level. Once at this depth, 100% oxygen will be administered for the full duration of the treatment, which normally lasts for 60 to 90 minutes per session, and this procedure can be repeated twice per day with a 4-hour break in between. For chronic or hard-to-heal wounds, this dosage is typically repeated daily from anywhere between 10 and 80 hours. The FDA approves hyperbaric treatments for the following 13 conditions:

Decompression Sickness, Gas embolism, CO and Cyanide poisoning, Gas Gangrene, Selected aerobic and anaerobic soft tissue infections, Osteomyelitis, Intracranial abscess, Management of Fungal disease, Radiation injury to tissue, Exceptional blood loss/anemia, Crush injury/compartment syndrome, Ischemia reperfusion injuries, Skin grafts and flaps, Healing in selected problem wounds, Treatment of thermal burns.

Many doctors and clinical researchers in the field of hyperbaric medicine believe that HBOT may help many more conditions and improve quality of life. Please be aware that if you are using this to treat a medical condition other than the 13 above conditions, then the FDA considers this an ‘off-label’ treatment and wishes you to make sure that you have sought out all FDA-approved treatments first and fully understand the benefit to risk ratio before making your decision.

FAQ

Smoke and other odors on your clothes are accentuated within the confines of the pressurized chamber. Try to minimize the detrimental effect of smoking on HBOT results by abstaining within 1-hour pre and post-treatment. Please do not use strong scented perfumes or deodorants.

The air warms as we pressurize and cools as we depressurize. Ventilation keeps the air moving when it is warm and blankets are available if you become cold.

m-HBOT represents a lower pressurized chamber, generally under 1.5 ATA, and typically at 1.3 ATA. These lower atmospheric pressures (representing roughly only 10 feet below sea level) allow for greater safety, while still allowing for the delivery of much higher levels of oxygen into the tissues. The FDA has cleared m-HBOT as an approved treatment for those suffering from altitude sickness, where oxygen levels can become dangerously low at higher elevations — a condition that is life threatening. The extra oxygen delivered through m-HBOT is so significant that it can be enough to help reverse this life threatening condition.

Again, one of the key determinants of HBOT is pressure and the greater the pressure, the greater the amount of dissolved oxygen into the body. Note, it does not take much pressure to deliver extra amounts of physiologically- available oxygen. During m-HBOT, the added pressure allows extra oxygen to be absorbed and transferred from the lungs into the blood, causing a greater saturation of blood oxygen levels. As this rich oxygenated blood makes its way to damaged tissue, extra oxygen is now readily available and can be potentially utilized for enhancing tissue repair and regeneration while also still being able to provide its potent anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects. The FDA once again cautions the use of HBOT, including m-HBOT if it’s not used for one of the approved medical conditions, in this case ‘altitude sickness’. Although these lower pressures have both been reported to have significant benefits, which are now being supported and validated though clinical research trials, we would still encourage you to follow the FDA guidelines in looking into ‘medically-approved’ options if you are looking at using m-HBOT to help with a medical condition.

Traditionally, hyperbaric oxygen is defined as breathing 100% oxygen under pressure. However, ambient air still contains 21% oxygen, and when you breathe it under pressure, more oxygen wi ll get transferred into the body. More importantly, the extra oxygen enters the blood plasma (liquid) and gets oxygen into much deeper areas (i.e., where inflammation impedes blood flow) and in places where red blood cells cannot normally reach. This is a great technique to achieve greater levels of oxygen without the associated risks of being in high oxygen environments.

Typically, sessions last a minimum of 60 minutes. Pressurizing the chamber takes 5-10 minutes (up to 25 min.). At the therapeutic depth you will receive a timed 60 minutes session (on average), after which we depressurize (for 5-10 minutes). Allow up to 1.5-hours for each treatment session.

Our chamber is an OxyHealth mild hyperbaric chamber that goes to a depth of 1.3ATA, allowing you to use the option of either filtered room air or higher oxygen concentrations through the use of an Air-Sep Medical Oxygen Concentrator. Our chamber provides a free-flow system of air, allowing the internal environment to remain continually fresh, while providing added safety measures for eliminating any fire concerns, by not allowing oxygen levels to build up to dangerous levels. OxyHealth hyperbaric chambers have had a flawless record in clinical activity.

Performed in a clinical setting, m-HBOT has repeatedly been shown to be extremely safe. The only noted side effects have been limited to higher-pressure chambers used to treat acute life-threatening conditions in hospitals, and even those side effects are very rare.

It should be noted that the only absolute contraindication for undergoing HBOT is a collapsed lung (pneumothorax).

Areas of concern would be:

 Severe lung or heart disease: This is because we would not want fluid to build up into the lungs.

 Uncontrolled Diabetes: This is because we do not want the blood sugars to drop too low if HBOT was combined with overdose of diabetic drug therapy.

 History of Seizure or Uncontrolled fever: This is because we would be concerned with exacerbating seizure activity, particularly if blood sugars are low.

 Changes in Vision: This is rare and a temporary change in vision that has been associated with higher pressure chambers and not m-HBOT. Changes in vision include getting either a little worse (Myopia) or better (Presbyopia). Note: these cases are rare and associated with higher oxygen dosages. If you notice any changes, please let the attendant know and don’t worry as the vision tends to go back to its original state within 3 months from discontinuing the sessions. For that reason, it is not advised to change prescriptions during this time period.

 History of Cataracts: Though HBOT cannot cause cataracts, this procedure may cause formed cataracts to mature more quickly.

 Pregnancy: As a precautionary measure, HBOT is not used during pregnancy unless indicated for acute life-threatening conditions.

 Current upper respiratory infections, chronic sinusi tis or sinus problems: These conditions cause a higher probability of problems during pressurization and are generally recommended to be treated before going into HBOT.

 Claustrophobia: Some clients may suffer from Claustrophobia. This is managed by maintaining communication, use of relaxation techniques and mild sedation, if necessary. If you have a problem with this condition please let us know.

Your role is quite simple: to show up on time, communicate with our staff and attendants each time, and let them know if there are any changes in your health. For example, you may have reported on your first visit that you were not pregnant, but when you come in for multiple visits it is your responsibility to let us know if there are any changes in your health, and in this example it would be ‘if you are potentially pregnant. This is the reason why the checklist for on-going hyperbaric sessions* must be answered each time you go into the hyperbaric chamber. This is for your safety and once again it is your responsibility to let us know each time you go in ‘if there are any changes’ in your health.

Coming soon.