Have you heard about the latest developments surrounding a hyperbaric chamber for bone healing? Bone damage is an all too common problem, especially for athletes, seniors, and others suffering from chronic illnesses. 

Unaddressed breaks, fractures, or infections can wreak havoc on the body. They can also lead to serious health complications. But there’s hope—in hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Below, the team from NexGen Hyperbaric LLC unpacks the many benefits of hyperbaric chambers in healing bones and more.

HBOT and Broken Bones: How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Helps Heal Fractures

A basic understanding of hyperbaric oxygen therapy would easily lead you to assume it’s only for scuba divers or people experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning. However, although it’s perfect for those applications, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also ideal for treating various problems. It addresses issues as varied as cyanide poisoning and necrotic tissue infections but is especially effective for broken bones.

Broken bones cause many problems, and the first step to helping them heal has always been stabilizing them. Restricting movement allows the body to replace the damaged bone cells with new, healthy bone material. However, while traditional approaches to healing broken bones—casts, pins, and surgeries—have their place, more intensive care can make a difference.

Many factors impair the healing process, including infection, diabetes, and health conditions. So with supportive treatments like HBOT, the body can much more effectively handle bone fractures for faster healing. It starts with administering 100% oxygen at heightened pressure levels to accelerate bone regeneration and collagen production for better cell formation.

How This Therapy Heals Bones Quickly

How does hyperbaric oxygen therapy for broken bones accelerate bone healing and cellular regeneration? It delivers oxygen-rich blood plasma to bone marrow and cell tissue. 

Injuries will harm the body’s blood vessels, causing swelling and inflammation, leading to tissue death and decay. HBOT halts and even reverses this process. Bone fractures and breaks reverse after the body receives extra oxygen. HBOT also prevents reperfusion injuries or troubling complications when the body improperly resupplies damaged tissues with blood.

Is your doctor concerned about your immune system after a nasty bone fracture? HBOT excels at strengthening your immunity. It prevents bacterial infections by improving the oxygen concentration within your bloodstream, which enables white blood cells to eradicate remaining pathogens. 

Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Bone Reconstruction

Why consider a hyperbaric chamber for bone healing? Doctors can typically handle broken or fractured bones with conventional approaches. However, it’s not unheard of for patients to experience more severe complications, especially if they have certain outstanding risk factors. 

Bone Infections Are The Biggest Risk Factor During and After Reconstruction

Osteomyelitis refers to bone infection. It’s almost always the byproduct of bacteria or fungi. For instance, staph infections remain a common culprit that interferes with the body’s blood supply and starves the bones of much-needed oxygen. 

What’s the risk of experiencing bone loss in this way? Many patients face amputation surgeries. 

So, tackling infection is a priority, with the first line of defense for osteomyelitis usually being a course of antibiotics. They’re readily available and simple to use, but these drugs only sometimes eliminate or limit the infection. Under these circumstances, more intensive care will aim to prevent blockage in the blood vessels, which could lead to bone decay and rot. 

Where Bone Infection Is Most Commonly Found

Osteomyelitis can occur in anyone who experiences a broken bone, although athletes, other active individuals, and seniors are at special risk. However, individuals with neuropathy issues—diabetes, in particular—are most susceptible. Patients with nerve issues might not even realize that they have a broken bone or an open wound, and any cut, gash, burn, or form of bone damage provides nasty bacteria with a way into the bloodstream.

Bone infection can also occur anywhere in the body and inside a bone. It can then develop into serious infections that compromise organ function, requiring hospitalization and intensive care.

How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Fights Infection-related Issues

Bone infections interfere with osteoclasts, the cells which help the body remove dead or rotten bone matter from the bone matrix. Essentially these cells spend their time cleaning up debris or infected material to aid the body’s recovery process. However, osteomyelitis hinders the job of osteoclasts, starving these cells of the oxygen they need to function effectively.

So, visiting a hyperbaric chamber for bone healing addresses this problem at the root. It delivers extra oxygen to the bloodstream to overcome the infection’s de-oxygenating effect. This gets the osteoclasts back in the game but also pairs very well with specialized antibiotics that need to work more effectively.

Today’s researchers and scientists have clinically proven that hyperbaric oxygen therapy effectively treats osteomyelitis. HBOT seems so effective at treating osteomyelitis that it could prevent amputation or further surgeries. 

In 2013, researchers published a study in the peer-reviewed Open Orthopaedics Journal. It demonstrates HBOT’s efficacy for patients suffering from severe osteomyelitis. This article certainly isn’t the only one, as a similar study published in 2007 proved that osteoblast production greatly increases when stimulated by something like hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Methods 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a state-of-the-art medical treatment with a long history. During WWII, the United States Navy used HBOT to help divers recover from decompression sickness. These days, doctors use it for even more treatment purposes, and if you can think of a health condition, HBOT can help to heal it.

During HBOT, patients enter into either a monoplace or multiplace chamber. 

• Monoplace chambers are like your average MRI machine: long, plastic tubes filled with pressurized oxygen. 
• A multiplace hyperbaric chamber that assists with bone healing can fit more than one person at a time and administers oxygen using masks or hoods.

Regardless of the chamber type, HBOT patients breathe in purified oxygen at higher-than-average air pressure levels. Typically, doctors will set the air pressure to be about one-and-a-half to three times the level of normal air. The goal is to increase oxygen within a patient’s blood supply, aiding tissue regeneration and healing, especially for broken and fractured bones.

The Process

Patients interested in using a hyperbaric chamber for bone healing or other conditions often have questions about the therapy process. It’s simple.

• Patients arrive at a hospital or outpatient facility.
• They enter a monoplace or multiplace chamber. 
• Sessions last between one to five hours.

During the treatment, patients can relax and even watch television or sleep. While HBOT isn’t painful, some individuals will experience lightheadedness and fatigue after sessions, so having a family member or friend drive you home after a session is best. Treatment usually only needs to last a few weeks or months for a speedy recovery.

Precautions 

While HBOT is safe for most patients, it’s worth discussing the potential side effects. Problems generally occur in patients that aren’t well suited to this treatment. For instance, those with HIV/AIDS, heart disease, spinal injuries, and depression should avoid oxygen therapy.

The number of conditions that HBOT treats far surpasses any risks. Still, the most frequent side effect is middle ear trauma which occurs when heightened pressure levels interfere with the eardrum or ear canal. Other possibilities include eye damage, blood sugar trouble, lung collapse, and sinus infections.

Oxygen poisoning is the worst potential side effect, with complications like seizures and lung failure. You shouldn’t take deciding to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy lightly. As with any form of medical care, it’s crucial that you work with your trusted primary care doctor and specialists to determine whether this form of treatment would be right for you. 

Most patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy and bone injury treatments rave about how they improve their quality of life. It’s clinically and scientifically proven to work, so why not look into the options?

Additional Read: Why Athletes Should Consider Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Quality Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Denver

NexGen Hyperbaric LLC offers top-notch hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Denver, CO. We have a state-of-the-art hyperbaric chamber for bone healing that professional athletes and others count on for bone formations or recovery from infected bones. We’ve even helped professional athletes, like the Olympic skier Nina O’Brien, heal from extensive injuries and keep competing professionally.

Are you interested in exploring hyperbaric oxygen therapy? Call NexGen Hyperbaric LLC at (888) 567-4302 today.

The term “long COVID” describes the presence of symptoms occurring days, weeks, or months after a positive COVID test result. Long COVID affects nearly 20% of people who have otherwise recovered from the illness.

Long COVID is a relatively new problem, so there are limited treatments and even fewer options for treating the most common symptom of long COVID: fatigue. As the number of people with long COVID continues to grow, medical practitioners are now looking for the most effective treatments for their patients. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for long COVID could be one of the answers to this puzzle.

The symptoms associated with long COVID are varied and include shortness of breath, fatigue, cough, “brain fog,” depression, and anxiety. The most prevalent symptoms are fatigue and “brain fog,” with 65% of long COVID patients reporting the onset of fatigue that continues long after the original illness, along with a large number also reporting brain fog and other signs of cognitive deficits.

In some cases, the patient’s fatigue is so severe that it negatively impacts their work performance and other activities. This is a significant problem, as the age group that is typically most affected by long COVID is adults who are actively involved in the workforce.

A team of researchers at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trusts conducted a study of ten patients to evaluate the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for long COVID. The study shows that HBOT has promise for improving fatigue, global cognition, executive function, attention, verbal function, and information processing.

What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

The body’s tissues require a specific amount of oxygen in order to function correctly. When tissue is damaged or injured, more oxygen is needed for it to heal and survive. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the amount of oxygen blood can carry. Repeated infusions of the high oxygen levels of HBOT encourage healing and normal oxygenation in the damaged tissues, even following the completion of the therapy.

Medical practitioners utilize HBOT in a variety of ways for both elective and emergency medicine. During the treatment, the patient sits in a pressurized (hyperbaric) chamber or room and breathes nearly 100% pure oxygen.

The doctor then increases the pressure of the room or individual chamber to two or three times higher than normal pressure. This allows the lungs to breathe in much more oxygen than they could under normal pressure.

The extra oxygen in the bloodstream staves off bacteria and helps speed the healing of damaged tissues by encouraging the release of stem cells and growth factors into the body.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is FDA approved to treat conditions including:

• Gas embolism (or what divers refer to as decompression sickness or “the bends”)
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Burns and skin grafts
• Severe infection leading to tissue death of bone or skin
• Wounds that won’t heal, such as diabetic foot ulcers or radiation injuries
• Severe anemia

Additionally, HBOT is proven to be both safe and effective in treating chronic fatigue syndrome, so researchers determined that it might also be effective when applied to the fatigue associated with long COVID.

About the Subjects and Methods of the Clinical Trial

The researchers studied ten patients suffering from severe and persistent post-COVID-19 syndrome for more than 12 weeks.

Participants’ primary symptoms were fatigue and reduced cognitive function, conditions that did not exist prior to their SARS-CoV-2 infection. The age of the study participants ranged between 24 and 74, and women made up 60% of the group. Participants met the following criteria:

• Over 18 years old
• Previous diagnosis of COVID-19 infection confirmed using PCR swab test or positive antibody test
• No history of traumatic brain injury
• No previous use of HBOT prior to the study
• No existing lung conditions that may be adversely affected by pressure changes (including asthma, COPD, or a history of blood clots in the lungs)
• No history of epilepsy
• No one with sinus or ear issues that could worsen with pressure changes

All participants underwent ten HBOT sessions once daily over a 12-day period. Sessions were at 2.4 atmospheres and consisted of three 30-minute exposures to oxygen at 100%, with three five-minute breaks for air. Researchers performed validated scoring assessments of fatigue and cognitive function on days one and ten.

Researchers measured the patients’ responses to the HBOT therapy in two ways: the change in fatigue and the change in cognitive function.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Fatigue

Researchers evaluated the primary outcome (complaint of fatigue) via changes in the Chalder fatigue scale between days one and ten of the HBOT treatment. The Chalder fatigue scale is a method to measure the severity of tiredness in illnesses where fatigue is a chronic symptom. It utilizes a series of questions, and patients respond to each question according to the severity of their symptoms.

The study’s results revealed that HBOT had a statistically significant effect in reducing participants’ feelings of fatigue according to the Chalder scale. Patients reported what the Chalder scale deemed a “very large” improvement in their symptoms after the ten days of HBOT treatment.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Cognitive Function

The secondary measurement addressed changes in cognitive function between days one and ten of treatment. Scoring for the cognitive assessment included:

• Overall cognitive score
• Memory
• Motor skills
• Verbal function
• Speed of information processing
• Visual-spatial
• Attention
• Executive function

The test results revealed that participants reported a “very large” improvement in attention and information processing and “large” improvements in overall cognition, executive function, and verbal function. Other cognitive functions also improved, simply to a lesser degree.

Additional Read: Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Cognition, Performance, Proteomics & Telomere Length

Key Takeaways: The Future of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Long COVID

What causes the lingering fatigue and feelings of brain fog after COVID? There is no concrete answer; however, scientific reports indicate that one possible explanation is prolonged tissue hypoxia.

Tissue hypoxia occurs when tissue receives inadequate oxygen and cannot remain in homeostasis. The theory behind this is that tissue hypoxia is often the common denominator among the other fatigue-related conditions that improve following HBOT, so perhaps this is related to the fatigue in long COVID.

Research into HBOT as a long COVID treatment will continue, as this particular study was the first known official evaluation of the effects of HBOT on long COVID. Through this study, researchers discovered significant improvements in fatigue and cognitive symptoms, both statistically and clinically. The results align with the patients’ observations, many of whom said that the significant improvement they experienced after HBOT had changed their lives.

Who Is a Good Candidate for HBOT?

Along with long COVID, patients suffering from an illness that causes chronic fatigue may be good candidates for HBOT to improve their quality of life. Patients with conditions such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome may benefit from HBOT. For patients struggling with the effects of long COVID and fighting sleepiness or brain fog, HBOT may alleviate those symptoms.

While HBOT can bring about significant health improvements, not everyone is a good candidate. Certain lung diseases and recent rhinovirus infections may worsen with HBOT, which can potentially create an increased risk for complex issues. Before beginning treatment, it is essential that patients consult their physicians, especially if they suffer from lung disease of any kind or have experienced ear injuries or surgeries, as hyperbaric pressure can adversely affect these conditions.

Side Effects Associated with HBOT

During the study, no participants reported any adverse effects during or immediately after the HBOT treatment.

While HBOT is generally a safe procedure, any medical treatment can cause side effects. Patients should speak with their physicians prior to treatment and discuss their medical history. This includes current and past health conditions, medications, etc. Some patients may still experience side effects, such as:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Ear pain
• Headache (from pressure changes)

However, if patients experience side effects, they are only temporary. The duration of treatment differs from patient to patient, and the longer the HBOT session, the more likely the patient is to experience mild side effects.

Additional Read: Essential Factors to Consider When Selecting HBOT Clinic

At NexGen Hyperbaric, LLC, we use proven safety methods to ensure that HBOT is as comfortable as possible for every patient. NexGen Hyperbaric, LLC received accreditation from the Undersea Hyperbaric & Medical Society (UHMS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to upholding the standards for patient treatments and care facilities that specialize in hyperbaric medicine. Our clinic has been through a comprehensive evaluation by UHMS and is deemed to meet the high standards of UHMS in terms of our facility, safety, training, and staff.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Long COVID at NexGen Hyperbaric, LLC

At NexGen Hyperbaric, LLC, we’ve treated patients using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for over 15 years. Our dedication and focus are on improving the health and wellness of our patients through cutting-edge technology and research, as well as patient-focused care. If you have been suffering from fatigue and brain fog due to long COVID, speak to your doctor about how hyperbaric oxygen therapy for long COVID could help.

Call us today at 888-567-4302 to learn more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

A rheumatologist generally diagnoses fibromyalgia when a patient presents with a history of pain that affects all quadrants of the body for a period of three months. The examination also needs to show a pain response from digital pressure in at least 11 out of 18 allogenic “tender” points.

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, and memory issues. This condition affects the productivity of patients’ lives, including their careers and relationships.

Different treatments for fibromyalgia exist, including medications like anti-depressants and counseling. Unfortunately, these treatments are only partially effective. However, clinical trials in the past decade have shown that patients respond to hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for fibromyalgia.

At NexGen Hyperbaric clinics, we provide state-of-the-art HBOT treatments for a full range of medical conditions, including fibromyalgia, in UHMS-accredited facilities in Edwards, CO. Our team monitors emerging research on HBOT and fibromyalgia; below, we share some of the most promising recent research.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia, a persistent and debilitating disorder, is a type of sensitization of the central nervous system related to abnormal brain activity affecting 2-4% of the total population, 90% of whom are female. FMS has many symptoms that can vary across patients. Patients often report experiencing:

• Chronic widespread pain, especially musculoskeletal pain
• Fatigue and sleep disturbance
• Protracted muscle spasms
• Intestinal disorder
• Overall weakness in muscles and the limbs
• Muscle twitching
• Palpitations
• Allodynia
• Diffuse tenderness
• Depression and anxiety
• Reduced information-processing speed

A Challenging Syndrome

Instead of a single cause, evidence suggests many factors that can either cause or exacerbate symptoms. For example, an infection like Lyme disease, a viral illness, or a traumatic brain injury may set off FMS. In the 2021 International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Rosalba Siracusa et al. describe various causes of the chronic pain as “peripheral, central, cognitive-emotional and interpersonal.”

Likewise, disputes exist regarding the diagnostic criteria for establishing fibromyalgia cases. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) first classified fibromyalgia in 1990. In addition to understanding it as a central sensitization phenomenon, researchers in recent years have attributed the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia to other factors, including psychosocial, endocrine, inflammatory, immune, and genetic contributors.

The medical community lacks strong evidence-based guidelines for fibromyalgia treatment. Primarily, the PCPs who treat most cases utilize a mixture of patient education, referral to cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, and pharmacological therapy.

While many other treatments exist, our goal at NexGen Hyperbaric has been to look at hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and its usefulness in treating fibromyalgia and its related symptoms. A 2015 study on this topic by a large Israeli team led by Shai Efrati emerged from a controversy among rheumatologists as to whether fibromyalgia is primarily associated with abnormal pain processing in the brain or is a type of peripheral small fiber inflammation.

The Approach

The motivator behind the 2015 Israeli study was the hypothesis that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) could correct the abnormal brain function underlying the symptoms of FMS patients. Earlier trials had shown that HBOT could induce neuroplasticity, repairing chronically impaired brain functions in post-stroke patients and mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) patients.

The researchers hoped to show that HBOT would facilitate the fibromyalgic brain to rectify chronically damaged brain functionality. Researchers randomly assigned 48 female patients, ages 21-67, to two groups: a treated group and a crossover group.

Study endpoints included assessments of

• Assessment of brain activity according to SPECT imaging
• Tender point count
• Pain threshold and symptom severity
• Functional impairment
• Quality of life

HBOT and Fibromyalgia

Researchers evaluated all patients at baseline and after 2 months of HBOT (or 2 months of no treatment for the crossover group). Then, the crossover group received evaluation after a subsequent 2-month treatment with HBOT.

Researchers used SPECT scans and HBOT protocols.

Researchers evaluated many issues regarding each patient during and following treatment, including psychological distress, the ability to perform tasks like cleaning and driving, and overall quality of life.

Methods

The study quantitatively evaluated participants’ pain levels using tender points as criteria. A rheumatologist blind to the study applied manual pressure to 18 tender points using thumb palpation. The rheumatologist applied 4 kg per cm2 to each tender point.

The rheumatologist then used a Chatillon dolorimeter to measure pain at 13 point sites (nine tender points and four control sites).

For functional impairment, the study used a Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire to measure the participants’ ability to perform everyday tasks.

A symptom checklist (SCL-90) examined psychological distress, including items like interpersonal sensitivity, phobic anxiety, obsession-compulsion, and paranoid ideation.

Another questionnaire (SF-36) measuring quality of life, and the study used SPECT scans for brain functional imagining.

Research, HBOT, and Fibromyalgia

At baseline, the two groups had very close mean scores for both measures. The crossover group maintained the same general score after the control period that it had at baseline. However, the HBOT treatments of both groups (at different stages in the trial) led to “statistically significant improvements in the mean scores of both the dolorimeter thresholds and of the number of tender points,” with a significant reduction in the number of tender points.

Important to note is that while researchers found a high patient-to-patient variability in the dolorimeter thresholds, their measure was the impact of the HBOT on each patient’s change relative to the base value. The analysis also looked at the relative changes in the number of tender points and how HBOT treatment affected those changes for each patient and for each group as a whole.

The results of other endpoint measures were also promising. The physical functioning score significantly improved following HBOT in the treated group (mean change was 1.31±0.99, p < 0.001) as well as the crossover group after HBOT (mean change was 1.02±0.92, p = 0.05), as did the psychological distress score:

Treated group (mean change 1.10±0.79, p < 0.01)

Crossover group after HBOT (mean change 1.29±0.76, p = 0.05)

The quality of life score also reflected the positive impact of HBOT treatment:

Treated group (mean change 0.34±0.33, p < 0.01)

Crossover group after HBOT (mean change 0.23±0.39, p = 0.05)

In terms of reliance on pharmaceuticals to manage pain, the study found a significant decrease in the fibromyalgia patients’ use of analgesic medications following HBOT in both groups.

Brain SPECT Imaging

Another significant finding stemmed from the SPECT images, which researchers performed for all patients, with two imagings for the treated group and three for the control (crossover) group. Seven of the 48 patients did not show significant improvement.

The researchers calculated

• the relative change in the SPECT measured brain activity, Rchange(i,n), during each phase
• the average changes, (n), for the 41 patients (out of 48) from both groups that showed significant improvement in FMS symptoms following HBOT treatment

Earlier studies had shown that FMS patients had reduced brain activity in BAs in the frontal cortex and elevated activity in the posterior brain. Following the HBOT period for each group in this study, improved patients (41 out of 48) exhibited elevated activity of Brodmann Areas (BAs) in the frontal lobe (25L+R, 10L+R, 47R, 45R, 11R, 9R, 8R) and in BA 38L, and reduced activity of BAs in the posterior brain (7L+R, 37L, 36L, 17L).

Following HBOT, new SPECT images showed that patients had less activity in their posterior brain alongside higher activity in their frontal cortex.

Thus, the findings of the 2015 Israeli study of the effects of HBOT on FMS patients affirm that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is associated with changes in the brain activity of specific BAs known to have been abnormal in FMS patients.

Moreover, patients in both groups following HBOT treatment improved with regard to:

• Overall quality of life
• Completing physical functions
• Reliance on pharmaceuticals
• Psychological distress
• Reduction in somatosensory cortex brain function

Additional Read: The Benefits of HBOT for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Fibromyalgia Syndrome From NexGen Hyperbaric

Contact NexGen in Edwards, CO, at 888-567-4302 to discover more about how hyperbaric oxygen therapy can treat fibromyalgia. Our team has provided patients with hyperbaric oxygen treatments for over ten years.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been the subject of medical studies for decades, and research strongly suggests that it’s an effective treatment for declining mental ability and some physical ailments.

One study from the National Baromedical Research Foundation explored using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation tissue treatment, observing results over several years.

The Study On HBOT For Radiation Tissue Treatment

The study aimed to determine the validity of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation tissue treatment. Doctors have used the hyperbaric chamber to treat delayed radiation injuries for over 30 years. This research team, led by Dick Clarke, president of the National Baromedical Research Foundation, sought to determine how much of an impact it could have on late radiation tissue injury over five years.

Though radiation therapy has helped control malignant diseases for years, tumor treatments can damage healthy tissue and create late-stage skin injuries, which hyperbaric oxygen has treated successfully in past studies. Tissue damage from carbon monoxide poisoning and radiation treatment is common and often requires extensive surgery to treat. Some of the radiation’s late effects on normal tissue (LENT) include obliterative endarteritis, local hypoxia, and mortal injuries.

Clarke’s study into hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation tissue treatment sought to move beyond the past use of hyperbaric chambers to manage radiation injuries like mandibular osteoradionecrosis. Based on a presumed common underlying pathophysiology of LENT regardless of its location in the body, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on specific sites.

The study began with eight components, seven of which involved evaluating established radionecrosis in several areas of the body, including:

• Colon
• Gyn
• Larynx
• Mandible
• Skin
• Rectum
• Bladder

The final component sought to determine whether hyperbaric treatment could prevent late radiation injury in tissue. However, the research team closed one of the components when an outside statistical analysis supported shutting down that particular arm.

To conduct the study, the research team performed both hyperbaric oxygen therapy and a sham procedure on participants with radiation injuries and tracked the results in the following years.

Eligibility Criteria For HBOT Research For Radiation Damage

After determining the above areas of study, the research team sought participants with pre-existing medical conditions in the target regions. To broaden the study’s range, the team opened enrollment to children, adults, and elderly adults of all sexes. However, the study forbade willing participants without a relevant medical condition from the experiment and those that matched the research team’s exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria included those participants with such conditions as:

• Constipation or Diarrhea
• Cramping and Pain
• Endarteritis
• Fistula
• Hemorrhage
• Hypocellularity
• Hypovascularity
• Mucosal Thickening
• Obstipation
• Obstruction or Stricture
• Perforation
• Tenesmus
• Tissue Hypoxia
• Ulceration
• Vomiting
• Wall Changes

To narrow the study’s focus, the researchers implemented a set of exclusion criteria that applied to all potential participants, including those who met the inclusion criteria. The exclusion criteria focused on those who:

• Had previously documented ejection fraction less than 35%
• Had a history of seizures into adulthood (childhood febrile seizures were acceptable)
• Were unable to follow the research team’s instructions
• Were unable to perceive their location, the time of day, or their identity
• Needed a mechanical ventilator (immediately [1-5 days] post-operative patients were allowed to participate)
• Had pre-existing pulmonary blebs or bullae
• Displayed cardiovascular instability
• Were participating as a subject in a separate medical or biomedical research project at the time. Those who had previously participated in studies were allowed to enroll in this study only if sufficient time had passed to rid their bodies of any investigational agent.
• Were pregnant
• Had reactive airway disease
• Had an untreated pneumothorax

The Design Of The HBOT Study

Clarke’s interventional study brought in 226 participants and studied them using two research arms. The first arm was the hyperbaric oxygen therapy (Group 1), which the team administered at 2.0 Atmospheres Absolute (ATA). The second arm was the sham trial (Group 2), which required patients to receive hyperbaric treatment at 1.1 ATA, the standard weight for normal atmospheric pressure.

The research team randomly determined which patient received which treatment type. However, because they used a crossover assignment intervention model, each enrollee receiving the sham treatment also received actual hyperbaric oxygen treatment. The team also used double-blind masking to ensure they approached the study with as little bias as possible.

The researchers finished their primary outcome measures on Aug. 2011.

Expectations From The Study

The primary outcome measure used the SOMA (Subjective, Objective, Management, Analytic) scale to determine LENT’s effects on patients after treatment at certain intervals. The team followed up with participants three months, six months, one year, and five years after their initial hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation tissue treatment to chart progress and provide additional treatment if necessary.

Based on each participant’s recovery rate, they fell into one of five categories:

Healed: For participants who had completely recovered from the injury that the hyperbaric oxygen therapy treated.

Significant Improvement: For participants who saw their lesions reduced by more than 50%.

Modest Improvement: For participants who saw their lesions reduced by less than 50%.

Not Improved: For participants whose lesions stayed the same size following treatment.

Other: For participants with irregular injury development. For example, if a patient’s lesions shrunk and regrew or progressed following treatment.

The researchers planned to update the participant’s status at each time checkpoint. Their primary purpose for this study was to evaluate the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an effective treatment for radiation tissue ailments. Ideally, every patient would reach the “healed” or “significant improvement” stage by the five-year threshold.

Results Of The Study

After initial treatment, the mean SOMA-LENT score improved in both Groups 1 and 2. Group 1 produced a lower mean (p = 0.0150) and showed improvement nearly twice as great as that of Group 2 (5.00 vs. 2.61, p = 0.0019). Participants in Group 1 also responded to clinical assessment in greater numbers than in Group 2.

The study also sought to measure participants’ overall quality of life, specifically as it applied to bowel bother subscale. Here, Group 1 again scored higher than Group 2. It’s worth noting, however, that the research team discarded the differences between the two groups after Group 2 received the same treatment as Group 1.

HBOT Study Conclusions

Based on this study, the research team concluded that hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation tissue treatment effectively improves the healing responses of patients with refractory radiation proctitis. The study also measured increased bowel-related quality of life.

Additional Read: 5 Ways Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Change Your Life

Research Locations

The study took place across the following seven healthcare institutions, which spanned five different countries:

1. Instituto Nacional de Cancerologica: Mexico City, Mexico
2. Istanbul University Medical Center: Istanbul, Turkey
3. Palmetto Health Richland Hospital: Columbia, South Carolina, United States
4. Royal Hobart Hospital: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
5. University of Pretoria Medical Center: Pretoria, South Africa
6. University of Stellenbosch: Cape Town, South Africa
7. Wesley Medical Center: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

National Baromedical Services was a sponsor and collaborator for this study.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Other Studies

In addition to this study on hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation treatment, hyperbaric treatment has shown promise in various other applications. One of the most well-known and promising studies for hyperbaric oxygen was on how HBOT affects cognition and mental performance.

The study monitored one patient, an 81-year-old male with declining cognitive speeds and memory in addition to a pre-existing artery disease, over three months. During that time, the patient received five hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions per week for a total of 60 by the end of the research period.

Each session lasted two hours, with 20 minutes dedicated to compression and decompression and the remaining time spent inside the hyperbaric chamber with the air pressure set to 101kPa. The patient received 100% oxygen in doses anywhere from 20 to 30 liters per minute for 20 minutes, with regular air returning once every five minutes.

The Results

After the study, the patient showed a 3.8% improvement in primary cognitive functions. They managed to process quicker, pay attention for longer, and have more executive function than before treatment. They also showed a 27% verbal memory increase.

The improved cognitive function aligned with the patient’s 43-52% blood flow increase before treatment. SPECT scans after the study also showed enhanced cerebral perfusion.

The study concluded that the patient improved their memory, processing speed, and cognition due to the improved blood flow and increased oxygen from the hyperbaric treatment. The study also encouraged additional studies into the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, as the elements that helped the patient here could also help in other fields, including radiation tissue treatment.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Radiation Tissue Treatment from NexGen Hyperbaric

NextGen Hyperbaric has used hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation tissue treatment for over 15 years. Our goal is to make cutting-edge medical solutions accessible to everyone. So, if you’re ready for the next generation of physical pain and cerebral function treatment, our clinic is the place for you.

Call NextGen Hyperbaric today at (888) 567-4302 to schedule an appointment or learn more about our hyperbaric technology.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a treatment that helps heal the body using chambers with high-pressure oxygen. HBOT repairs damaged tissues by increasing oxygen intake and providing 100% pure oxygen.
This treatment can boost individual performance levels, but—until now—it hasn’t been put to the test with a placebo-controlled clinical trial. The effects of HBOT on physical performance have yet to be evaluated.
Between May 2018 and December 2020, a team of doctors and healthcare specialists researched HBOT and how it affects physical performance using a double-blind controlled study. This study aimed to determine the effects of intermittent hyperbaric oxygen therapy on physical performance and mitochondrial function in 40-to-50-year-old athletes.

About the Subjects for the Clinical Trial

For this clinical trial, 37 top-tier athletes enrolled. Subjects had to match the following criteria to participate:

between the ages of 40 and 50

perform moderate-to-high aerobic sports for their age group at least four times per week

not suffer from any musculoskeletal injuries within the past three months

not have received HBOT treatment within the past three months for any reason

not have any of the following: debilitating lung, middle, or inner ear pathologies, claustrophobia, chronic illness, chronic medications, or active smoking habits

These 37 subjects underwent 40 repeated sessions of either HBOT or SHAM during this two-year study. Meanwhile, they continued their regular exercise and workout routines without alteration.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Its Effects on Mitochondrial Respiration

Of the 37 athletes enrolled in the study, 30 agreed to get muscle biopsies. Five biopsies failed the respiration analysis quality control test. After receiving their first biopsy, three athletes refused to get a second one and could not complete a proper evaluation.

The remaining subjects (10 from the HBOT group and 12 from the SHAM group) received a mitochondrial respiration assessment and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

Using HBOT, doctors evaluated mitochondrial respiration by taking fine-needle biopsy muscle samples from the gluteus maximus. These biopsies occurred a week or two before intervention and one to two weeks after intervention. The Oroboros® Oxygraph-2 K helped measure mitochondrial respiration.

Through careful observation, analysis, and muscle biopsies, the research team concluded the following about HBOT and its effects:

• Maximal oxygen phosphorylation capacity increased significantly compared to SHAM sessions with a 1.085 (0.129–2.041) effect size. Maximal uncoupled capacity also increased significantly compared to SHAM sessions, with an effect size of 0.956 (0.013–1.898).
• After HBOT, mitochondrial complex I function increased with a 1.120 (0.160–2.080) effect size.
• No notable changes occurred in mitochondrial complex II uncoupled capacity.
• The proton leak rate had no marked change.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Its Effects on Mitochondrial Mass

Of the 22 athletes who underwent mitochondrial respiration assessment and ANCOVA, doctors evaluated mitochondrial mass in 12 (six from the HBOT group and six from the SHAM group). After completing HBOT, the results showed the following:

• Mitochondrial mass marker MTG increased significantly compared to SHAM sessions (17.12% ± 20.2 versus −8.54 ± 8.41).
• Biogenesis marker PGC1alpha didn’t change significantly.
• No notable changes occurred in fusion markers OPA1 and MNF1 + 2.

Overall Effects of HBOT on Physical Performance

In terms of the effects of HBOT on physical performance, doctors made several important discoveries. The study shows that HBOT can give elite athletes an edge by breathing better than participants in the SHAM group. Following HBOT, these results came to light:

• Maximal oxygen consumption increased significantly with a 0.989 (0.210–1.76) effect size.
• Mitochondrial respiration improved (see above).
• Mitochondrial mass increased (see above).

Athletes competing at high levels achieve peak physical performance through training and constant practice. But this study indicates hyperbaric oxygen therapy can increase performance levels even further.

The main improvements occurred in maximal oxygen consumption, power, and the anaerobic threshold. Muscle biopsies showed that HBOT might significantly improve mitochondrial respiration and increase mitochondrial mass.

This double-blind controlled study shows that HBOT increases maximal oxygen capacity considerably compared to SHAM treatment. While doctors and medical researchers understood a correlation between HBOT and increased maximal oxygen capacity, this is the first time a clinical trial proved it in humans.

Key Takeaways from the Study

Following the double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, healthcare experts found that HBOT can help increase physical performance levels in master athletes. The key findings from the clinical trial include:

• Maximal oxygen phosphorylation capacity increased significantly after HBOT sessions compared to SHAM sessions.
• Maximal oxygen phosphorylation capacity increased significantly after HBOT sessions compared to SHAM sessions.
• After HBOT, mitochondrial complex I function increased.
• Mitochondrial mass marker MTG increased significantly in HBOT sessions compared to SHAM sessions.
• Maximal oxygen consumption increased significantly in the HBOT group compared to the SHAM group.
• These improvements contribute to overall increased physical performance in high-level athletes.

Additional Read: Why Athletes Should Consider Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Works

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy treats outpatients with various medical conditions by breathing pure oxygen. These conditions include some of the following:

• anemia and loss of red blood cells
• brain abscess
• burns
• carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning
• decompression sickness
• delayed radiation injury
• gangrene
• gas embolism
• osteomyelitis
• sudden deafness and vision loss

Many other medical conditions might be improved using HBOT, although healthcare providers may not approve HBOT to treat them. These conditions include:

• arthritis
• chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• fibromyalgia
• Lyme disease
• migraines
• strokes

HBOT includes a couple of different procedures to help treat medical conditions and damaged blood vessels resulting from injury. Both procedures use hyperbaric chambers, but one is for individual treatment while the other is a therapy room for treating multiple people. Healthcare staff increase air pressure significantly inside these chambers, monitoring it during the session.

Different patients receive different treatments depending on their medical condition. Treatments also depend on how severe the condition or injury might be. In some cases, patients require multiple therapy sessions to achieve the desired results. Other therapies and medications might also help supplement some HBOT treatments.

Possible Downsides to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

While undergoing this clinical trial, two of the healthy, middle-aged athletes from the HBOT group developed viral infections in the upper airway. Two subjects from the SHAM group acquired pneumonia. Doctors also had to treat a gluteal subcutaneous hematoma in a different subject after the second biopsy.

Side effects often accompany any therapy or treatment. HBOT is no exception. Following HBOT, you might experience mild, temporary side effects that usually come with medical treatment. But some side effects can be long-lasting, such as the following:

• fatigue
• lightheadedness
• lung damage
• sinus damage

Although rare, other complications may occur during therapy. Before starting treatment or therapy, you should know what to expect and what could happen. Complications may include:

• Collapsed lung: This might occur because of increased air pressure inside the hyperbaric chambers.
• Seizures: If the central nervous system receives too much oxygen during HBOT, it can result in a seizure.
• Middle ear injuries: When the air pressure changes dramatically inside the chambers, it might cause middle ear injuries such as a fluid leak and eardrum rupture.
• Temporary vision change: During or after HBOT, eye lenses might change. This can sometimes result in temporary nearsightedness.
• Lowered blood sugar: Blood sugar levels can drop in patients who use insulin. As HBOT feeds the body more oxygen and repairs damaged tissue, this complication comes into play.
• Claustrophobia: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy occurs in closed-off, air-tight chambers and can last a couple of hours for one session. As a result, it can cause claustrophobia or trigger patients with claustrophobia.

Talk to your healthcare providers if you have concerns or questions about side effects and complications during or following hyperbaric oxygen therapy. They will make sure you receive the best treatment for your medical condition.

When Should You Avoid Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

While hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve many different medical conditions, healthcare professionals don’t recommend it for everyone. HBOT can negatively affect people with certain types of conditions and illnesses. For example, if a patient has claustrophobia, HBOT can trigger it and make it worse.

Before getting hyperbaric oxygen therapy, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you suffer from lung diseases of any kind? HBOT will put you at a higher risk of lung collapse if you do.
• Do you have a fever or cold? Dramatically changing air pressure within the chamber can worsen these illnesses.
• Have you recently gone through ear surgery or injury? HBOT increases pressure in the head and can result in eardrum ruptures and fluid leaks.

Make sure to tell your doctor about any medical conditions you currently have. HBOT helps many patients, but it’s not the best option for everyone.

Additional Read: Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Clinic: 9 Essential Factors to Consider When Selecting HBOT Clinic

Get Top-Quality HBOT from NexGen Hyperbaric

At NexGen Hyperbaric, we offer the highest quality HBOT therapy. Our dedicated medical professionals make sure every patient gets the best treatment for them with the least likelihood of side effects. We’ll answer any questions or concerns you might have.

To learn more about the effects of HBOT on physical performance and how it can help you, call NexGen Hyperbaric today at (888) 567-4302!