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!

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been used for a long time to help wounds heal faster. But in recent years, more and more doctors have been using it because it has become more widely accepted and popular in mainstream medicine. The increase in the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is supported by its proven effectiveness in promoting faster and improved wound healing. 

Let’s admit it. Whether it was some fresh wound we got while cutting onions in the kitchen or a deep, decaying injury resulting from bacterial infection, many of us have had some type of physical wound 

In athletic sports, wounds are almost a given. 

Consider that nearly one in three childhood injuries are associated with athletic sports. According to the National Safety Council statistics, 5- to 14-year-olds experience injuries at higher rates than any other age group. Moreover, males get injured at rates that are twice that of females. 

Don’t get this wrong; wounds can be frustrating—and can significantly decrease quality of life. The following are some of the most common health effects of injuries on quality of life.

• Lack of mobility
• Discomfort
• Pain
• Social isolation
• Lack of adequate sleep
• Unpleasant odor statistics
• Lack of the ability to work

However, thanks to medical interventions, most wounds are treated relatively quickly. Almost 90% of injury victims are treated and immediately discharged. And healing with hyperbaric is increasingly becoming an essential part of this success.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Recovery?

Also called hyperbaric chamber injury recovery, hyperbaric oxygen recovery (HBOT) is a body treatment option where the patient breathes a very high oxygen concentration in a high-pressure chamber.

Oxygen has long been established as a catalyst in the healing and recovery of the body, including essential physiological and regenerative processes. Some of the regenerative processes associated with wound healing—for which oxygen plays an important role—include:

• The growth and development of new blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow to the tissue. Angiogenesis
• Cell proliferation occurs when cells multiply and increase in number because of cell growth and division. Body cells can then fight infections easily.
• Protein synthesis: The process by which cells make proteins. Proteins are essential for tissue repair when the wound is healing.

Therefore, doctors use hyperbaric oxygen therapy to facilitate wound-healing processes—including those mentioned above. The goal is to infuse more oxygen molecules into the body’s tissues. The process is called tissue oxygenation.

What Happens When You’re Injured?

When you get injured, an immediate inflammatory process begins as the body responds. Consequently, you’re likely to experience any or all of the following:

• Swelling around the affected area
• Warmth in the surrounding area
• Pain
• Redness of the surrounding skin

During inflammation due to some injury, the following occurs in your body—behind the scenes.

Injury and Inflammation

When you get injured, your body will try to increase blood flow to the affected part as the blood has several healing properties, including;

• Oxygen
• White blood cells
• Nutrients

Your blood vessels dilate and expand to take more blood into the area. Also, the blood vessels in the surrounding tissues become more porous and leaky. This condition happens because the body wants the essential blood components, like white blood cells and oxygen, to reach the affected cells. As a result of the increased porousness of blood vessels in the surrounding tissues, water and other body fluids percolate into the affected area, causing swelling. The rush of blood to the area and other enhanced physiological activities around the surrounding tissue will bring warmth and redness. Also, your body may fear that you’ll lose blood and set off blood clotting processes around the area. But with time, problems related to inadequate oxygen supply to the affected area can arise.

Additional Read: What Conditions Can Be Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Wounds and Inadequate Oxygen Supply

After the initial inflammatory response involving the increased blood supply to the affected area, the oxygen level rises at first—due to the increase in blood supply—then falls. The reason oxygen levels fall are:

• The inflammatory response involving the movement of several immune system cells to the injured area precipitates faster consumption of oxygen, hence quicker depletion.
• Tissue damage resulting from the injury may also damage blood vessels around the area. Consequently, they may need more oxygen levels.

While the body can tolerate or even thrive in this low oxygen level environment for a while, wound healing processes may slow down and taper off when this low oxygen condition prolongs. For instance, collagen, the main structural protein that makes up the skin, can only be made with sufficient oxygen. Wounds that would take one week to heal may now take a month or more. Worse, they may become chronic—or cause sepsis due to blood infection. According to a study cited in the Lancet, sepsis is the number one cause of hospital deaths in the United States. That’s where Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy comes in.

What Wounds Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Heal

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a revolutionary medical intervention that unlocks the body’s ability to heal diabetic wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, crush injuries, and chronic non-healing wounds. This treatment’s single most significant advantage is that it can stimulate the healing process quickly and effectively. It works by administering high concentrations of pure oxygen in a pressurized environment to cause a nearly twofold increase in the oxygen concentration in your blood. It helps regenerate damaged cells and form new blood vessels, thus ensuring faster healing with minimal complications. It also speeds up the formation of healthy granulation tissue around the wound, promoting better healing. With its cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art medical intervention, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can effectively solve diabetic wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, crush injuries, and chronic non-healing wounding issues.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Increases Oxygen Levels To The Wounded Tissues

If you’ve got a wound and choose to use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, you must get inside a hyperbaric chamber. A hyperbaric chamber is not like your regular surgical table. It’s not intimidating. Instead, it’s comfortable and relaxing. Inside this chamber, oxygen is at 100% concentration (compared to 21% present in the room air we breathe), and air pressure increases 1.5 to 3 times the normal atmospheric pressure (1 atm). The level of oxygen that dissolves into the tissues depends on two things:

• Oxygen concentration
• Air pressure

If these two properties are optimal, more oxygen gets into your tissues, speeding up the healing process. Also, with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, the procedure is not localized to a specific area. You don’t put only the injured part inside the hyperbaric chamber. Instead, your whole body gets inside. As a result of this, it receives the benefit of increased oxygen. The increased oxygen level will also have significant effect on wound healing. It stimulates the activities of mitochondria—the cell organelles responsible for energy production. The reason this is critical is that healing is an energy-demanding process. Hyperbaric therapy and the subsequent higher levels of oxygen also:

• Stimulates the production of more stem cells required for healing
• Stimulates the body’s antimicrobial activity hence frustrating the growth of harmful bacteria
• Facilitates the growth of new blood vessels
• Promotes the growth of collagen—the protein that makes up the skin’s structure.

Other Medical Conditions and Injuries Where Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Be Used

The following are some of the other conditions where hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be helpful:

• Severe anemia: When the number of red blood cells in the body drop, the oxygen level in the body will likewise fall, hence the need for oxygen therapy
• Decompression sickness, common with a scuba or deep-sea divers
• Radiation injury: Radiation therapy may lead to extensive tissue damage, for which hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be useful
• Gas gangrene and clostridial myositis
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Chronic wounds
• Fatal soft tissue infections
• Refractory osteomyelitis: Infection of the bone marrow
• Thermal burns
• Sudden deafness
• Sudden vision loss

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for athletes helps them reduce their recovery time or just to improve their general well-being. Other amazing benefits of HBOT for athletes include more energy and mental clarity. NBA star LeBron James is among athletes who practice healing with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, especially to hasten recovery. A tweet of him in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber was widely shared on the internet.

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

At what point in a medical treatment plan is it recommended to undergo Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

It is typically recommended when standard treatments have been exhausted, and effects are still limited in improving the patient’s health. Poor circulation, slow healing processes, and other conditions can be addressed when this therapy is utilized. HBOT involves surrounding a person’s body with 100% oxygen inside a pressurized chamber to ensure oxygen gets absorbed into the bloodstream faster and more efficiently than conventional breathing techniques. In cases like decompression illness, carbon monoxide poisoning, recovery following surgery, and chronic conditions like diabetes or ulcers, becoming a candidate for hyperbaric oxygen may be advised by your healthcare provider to fully maximize the effects of treatment in helping you improve your overall health condition.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: What You Should Expect

What can you expect and be prepared for when considering hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

• Expect to be in a resting position similar to when you’re relaxing on your bed.
• You can expect to see it all around you.
• Your hearing could experience a slight pressure similar to that experienced on a flight. In most cases, this is nothing to worry about. Still, if you feel ear pain, don’t hesitate to tell the technician who’s doing the therapy.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not a one-off treatment session. It can extend to two months, 4-5 days a week.
• A single hyperbaric therapy session may last about two hours.
• After the procedure, the doctor will take your blood pressure, pulse, and blood sugar level if you have diabetes.
• You can leave immediately after the session.

Do You Want To Use Hyperbaric Therapy for Healing or General Well-being?

Wounds and injuries can make us lose days and months of income-generating labor. Plus, not to mention:

• The pain— that makes us grimace and weep.
• Isolation and confinement keep us away from friends and social events; and
• Frustration and anxiety when your wound doesn’t heal as quickly as you’d want

But time—contrary to what we’ve been told—may not heal all wounds. Hyperbaric medicine can help you recover faster to quickly resume chasing your dreams and living your life to the fullest. At NexGen Hyperbaric, we make hyperbaric oxygen therapy technology accessible to people who need it to help needy patients. Accredited by the Undersea Hyperbaric and Medical Society, we have state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, experienced staff, rigorous training, and unmatched patient care and operational safety standards. Did you get a wound that’s taking too long to heal? Contact us and learn how NextGen Hyperbaric can help you heal.

Additional Read- HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENT CLINIC: 9 ESSENTIAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING HBOT CLINIC

Oxygen is quite easy to overlook and be taken for granted. It’s a colorless gas that’s all around us, accounting for roughly 21% of the Earth’s atmosphere. Oxygen is the world’s third most abundant element and an essential component of life.

Although there may not appear to be any link between oxygen and cancer, there may be more than meets the eye. Keep reading to learn more about cancer oxygen therapy.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?

Oxygen therapy is a catch-all phrase for a variety of medical treatments aimed at introducing oxygen into the body, primarily to overwhelm tumors and cancer cells. Normal human cells require just the proper amount of oxygen to survive and thrive, as is well known and researched. When you change altitudes or do aerobic exercises, your body’s mechanisms govern how much oxygen your cells get, ensuring that your cells adapt and obtain enough oxygen.

Although the interaction between oxygen and cancer cells is complex, cancer cells are frequently deficient in oxygen. According to studies on human and animal breast cancer cells, tumor cells may be able to take advantage of this. Tumor cells had an increased likelihood of surviving when exposed to low oxygen levels, which aided their ability to spread through the bloodstream.

Doctors may be able to kill a cancer cell and regulate or limit tumor cell proliferation with oxygen treatment. Other forms of treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, may be made more effective by introducing oxygen to cancer cells.

Multiple types of oxygen therapy are used in cancer treatments, but one of the most common is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

This oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen while staying within a pressurized hyperbaric oxygen chamber (O2). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can aid in the improvement of cancer treatment outcomes and the healing of side effects such as radiation necrosis produced by radiation therapy.

Additional Read: Common myths you need to know about hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treat Cancer?

There has been a lot of research into the use of hyperbaric oxygen as a cancer treatment, with mixed or inconclusive results. In 2015, Boston scientists made waves with research that found that flushing tumors with oxygen may improve the efficacy of some medicines.

However, the American Cancer Society stated in the same article that “available scientific evidence does not support assertions that infusing oxygen-releasing compounds into a person’s body is useful in cancer treatment.” According to a 2012 assessment by Norwegian experts, hyperbaric oxygen reduced the growth of some malignancies but not others. More research is needed, according to the authors.

The ability of oxygen therapy to treat cancer and some of the negative effects of cancer surgery and other treatments are still being studied in clinical trials.

The outcomes in shrinking cancer cells themselves are essentially non-existent for the money and effort invested.

HBOT can, however, help with major issues that arise as a result of cancer treatment. If you’ve had radiation therapy, you’ve almost certainly suffered side effects. That is, you experience troubles as a result of the cancer treatment, not cancer itself.

How Can HBOT Help Cancer Patients?

There are multiple ways in which HBOT can help cancer patients. Here’s a quick overview of what treatment with HBOT can do:

• Increases oxygen levels in locations where they have fallen below normal due to illness or injury.
• Stimulates the formation of new blood vessels so that more oxygen and nutrients can be delivered to the tissues.
• Improves the white blood cells’ ability to fight bacteria and prevent illness.
• Reduces any swelling, pressure, and pain associated with wounds.

HBOT treatment can help in those situations where body tissues have low oxygen levels.

HBOT treatment may be offered to cancer patients for the following reasons:

• Treating the long-term side effects of radiotherapy
• Issues with skin grafts
• Infections and wounds that are difficult to treat.

Can Cancer Radiation-Related Health Problems Benefit from HBOT?

The oxygen supply to tissues in the treated area may change as a result of radiotherapy. This is because radiotherapy affects both cancer cells and normal cells, and blood vessels.

Radiotherapy has the potential to harm tiny blood vessels in the treated area. The amount of blood delivered to that area may be reduced as a result of this. It becomes more difficult for oxygen and nutrients to enter the tissues as a result of this.

The tissues that are impacted may get weaker and break down over time (ulcerate). Some tissues may perish totally in rare cases (radiation necrosis). Radiation damage can develop gradually over months or years.

The oxygen supply to injured tissue is increased with HBOT treatment. This promotes the formation of new blood vessels and the healing of tissues.

According to research, HBOT treatment may be beneficial in alleviating the following side effects of radiation.

Chronic radiation cystitis

Chronic radiation cystitis is a condition that occurs after exposure to radiation.
Some types of pelvic cancer are treated using radiotherapy, which is a type of radiation. The pelvis is defined as the region between the hips. The bladder is located in the pelvic region. As a result, radiation to this area may occasionally result in long-term irritation of the urinary bladder (chronic cystitis).

HBOT treatment may be beneficial in alleviating these symptoms. It may be used in situations where other treatments have failed.

Osteoradionecrosis

Cancers of the head and neck are frequently treated with radiotherapy.

The tissues in the immediate vicinity of this location are easily injured. A surgical procedure performed prior to radiotherapy can enhance the likelihood of damage occurring. In rare cases, a section of bone is impacted, and it begins to break down and die. Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is the medical term for this condition. Damage to the bones can also occur when radiotherapy is administered to other parts of the body, such as the chest or the pelvis.

Following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, you may be prescribed HBOT treatment. The goal is to aid in the prevention of injury to the jawbone.

The effects of chronic radiation on the bowel

Radiotherapy used to treat cancers of the pelvis has the potential to harm the bowel. The gut is extremely sensitive, and radiation damage can occasionally result in long-term illness.

When alternative therapies have failed to relieve these symptoms, HBOT treatment may be an option to consider.

What to Expect From Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment

In most cases, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is conducted as an outpatient operation, although it can also be provided while you are hospitalized.

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers are generally classified into two categories:

• A single-person unit with a single bed. During a single session, you lie down on a table that slides into a transparent plastic compartment.
• A room that can accommodate a large number of people. You can either sit or lie down in a multiperson hyperbaric oxygen room, which is often the size of a big hospital waiting room. You may be provided with oxygen by wearing a mask over your face or by wearing a lightweight, clear hood over your head.

The benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are the same whether you’re in a single or group setting for the treatment.

Air pressure in the room is approximately two to three times greater than the typical air pressure during therapy. As a result of the increased air pressure, you may experience a transient sensation of fullness in your ears, similar to what you might experience on a flight or at a high altitude. It is possible to alleviate this sensation by yawning or swallowing.

Most conditions require hyperbaric oxygen therapy to be administered over a two-hour period. Through the course of your treatment, members of your healthcare team will keep an eye on you and the therapy unit.

Your therapy team evaluates you by taking your blood pressure and pulse, as well as checking in your ears, and performing other procedures. The level of your blood glucose is measured if you have diabetes.

Following your treatment, you may feel a little sleepy or hungry. Normal activities shouldn’t be hindered as a result of this.

You will most likely require more than one session of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in order to get the benefits. The number of sessions you will need is determined by your medical condition. Some illnesses, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, may be addressed in as few as three office visits. Others, such as nonhealing wounds, may necessitate 40 or more treatments to be effective.

If hyperbaric oxygen therapy is found to be beneficial in treating authorized medical problems, it is usually part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes various therapies and medications that are customized to meet your specific requirements.

Additional Read: What Conditions Can Be Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Contact NexGen Hyperbaric Today

If you’re suffering from a problem caused by cancer radiation and all other therapies have failed, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be the next step for you to consider trying. If you or your doctor are thinking about doing so, contact NexGen Hyperbaric today.

Studies and Research

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) treatment is gaining momentum in the medical industry worldwide to heal patients from various physical ailments. Every patient has one question: “How do I choose the right Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) near me?”

Patients must understand the process of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy before they can choose the right clinic. Patients and caregivers must also ensure that the facility’s staff adheres to specific requirements when operating hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

As not all clinics are the same and can provide the same level of treatment, so it’s imperative that you choose the best Hyperbaric Clinic (HBOT) that will help you achieve your healthcare goals.

To make it easy to consider your options, this guide highlights all the essential factors that will help you make the final call while choosing the best HBOT clinic.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the process of breathing 100% pure oxygen under pressure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is used to treat decompression sickness, a possible risk when scuba diving. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can also treat serious infections, blood vessel bubbles, wounds that are not healing due to radiation injury or diabetes.

The air pressure in a HBOT chamber is two to three times that of normal. These conditions allow your lungs to take in more oxygen than it would be possible to breathe pure oxygen at normal pressure. This extra oxygen is carried throughout the body by your blood. It helps to fight bacteria and stimulate growth factors and stem cell release, which promote healing.

Why is Extra Oxygen Necessary for Healing?

To function correctly, your body tissues require a good amount of oxygen, as tissues that have been injured will require more oxygen to survive. The amount of oxygen in your blood increases with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The therapy can be repeated as scheduled, and the extra oxygen levels will continue to encourage normal tissue oxygen levels, even after therapy is done.

Many medical conditions can be treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It is used in different ways by medical institutions. If you have any of the conditions mentioned below, your doctor may recommend hyperbaric oxygen therapy:

• Anemia (due to acute blood loss)
• Intracranial abscess (acute brain infection from trauma or disease)
• Peripheral artery disease
• Thermal burn Injuries
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Crushing injury
• Decompression sickness
• Gas gangrene
• Refractory osteomyelitis
• Tissue death caused by skin or bones infection
• Non Healing wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers
• Radiation injury
• Tissue death using skin grafts or skin flaps
• Traumatic brain injury
• Vision loss due to retinal artery occlusion

Doctors and patients are increasingly choosing HBOT because it can be used alongside other treatment options.

Essential Factors to Consider While Choosing an HBOT Clinic

One can consider multiple factors when choosing a hyperbaric oxygen treatment clinic, such as

• Highly Skilled Medical Professionals
• Medical-Grade Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber
• Physician Recommended
• Safety of Patients
• Oxygen Monitoring
• High-Quality Communication System
• Power Back-up
• Cost of Treatment
• Quality Standards of Clinic

1.Highly Skilled Medical Professionals

The medical team at an HBOT treatment center is crucial. They play an essential role in ensuring patient safety and encouraging positive outcomes. To ensure that the chamber’s technical aspects and operation are handled efficiently in a hyperbaric clinic, it must have well-trained staff.

Both doctors and staff must have the experience necessary to manage the different types of HBOT chambers in a hyperbaric clinic. When moving patients into and out of the hyperbaric chamber, the technicians must be polite and cautious. The entire process will ensure that the best treatment protocol is used for each patient.

The clinic’s medical directors should be board certified in hyperbaric medicine. They must also have extensive knowledge in this field. This will allow them to create a care plan for each patient and then direct the medical team to deliver the highest quality care.

A physician (MD, DO) should always be present to prescribe and supervise your hyperbaric protocol in the treatment clinic. This is essential for your safety and the proper supervision of your care.

2. Medical-Grade Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber

Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) clinics must use medical-grade hyperbaric oxygen chambers in comparison to “soft” or “mild” chambers. For the best service, equipment must be installed by professionals and regularly maintained by certified specialists.

The medical-grade chambers (also known as “hard” hyperbaric chambers) offer various benefits and greater customization to the treatment. They can reach a broader range of prescribed pressures that are most appropriate for your condition.

Blending the correct pressure with 100% medical grade oxygen shows more effective healing by stimulating increased oxygen absorption into the bloodstream over 1200%, as well as other benefits, such as:

• Suppression of inflammation and swelling
• Stimulation of blood vessel growth and mobilization of stem cells
• The body experiences increased circulation
• Boosting the immune system’s ability to fight infection and disease.
• Regeneration and enhancement of mitochondrial function

3. Physician Recommended

When looking for a specialized hyperbaric treatment clinic, you must have searched for a referral or someone who has taken the same treatment from a well-established HBOT clinic. However, it’s better to seek a professional referral than a review you have read online.

Your primary care physician or any other medical specialist can help you find the best HBOT clinic. This can be extremely helpful, especially if you are a first-timer or a confused person who wasted quite a time online or offline finding the right hyperbaric treatment clinic.

Moreover, suppose your physicians are recommending an HBOT clinic. In that case, you probably should consider it as they might have had a good experience in the past advising their other patients, and they trust the particular HBOT clinic and their ability to treat patients.

4. Safety of Patients

A team working at an HBOT clinic must be familiar with all safety aspects and communicate this to patients. Patients’ safety must be given top priority.

Because the oxygen concentration is highest during HBOT, patients are prohibited from bringing personal electronic equipment to the hyperbaric chamber. Any electronic items that spark can cause a fire in the chamber, which could pose a grave threat to patients’ lives and caregivers’ safety.

It is essential that staff adhere to all fire safety standards. A hyperbaric facility must have fire safety equipment that meets the highest standards and an emergency fire-alarm system.

5. Oxygen Monitoring

A certified clinic must purchase an oxygen monitor that meets NFPA 99 standards. An oxygen monitor can be used to determine if patients are being given the prescribed oxygen levels and should alarm the staff if that level exceeds.

6. High-Quality Communication System

All hyperbaric clinics should have HBOT chambers with built-in communication setups to facilitate easy interaction between patients and staff during ongoing hyperbaric therapy sessions.

This will help monitor the situation during the therapy effectively and will make the process smooth.

7. Power Back-up

Hyperbaric clinics must invest in power generators to ensure an uninterrupted power supply for HBOT sessions.

It’s imperative to have an uninterrupted power supply during the therapy to avoid any mishappenings.

8. Cost of Treatment

It doesn’t matter how good the HBOT clinic is if it doesn’t align with your cost preferences or budget.

Prices for hyperbaric therapy sessions can vary from one clinic to another. If patients require HBOT treatment over a long period, an affordable clinic with better costing can be a good option.

9. Quality Standards of Clinic

A thorough investigation is required to determine the quality standards of any clinic. The facility’s hyperbaric chambers must be in good working order at all times. Cleanliness is an important parameter to consider before you undergo HBOT therapy at your chosen clinic.

What Happens During Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?

A qualified healthcare provider should only prescribe hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Many hospitals have hyperbaric oxygen chambers. These chambers allow people to relax, lie down, or sit comfortably and hold deep breaths for up to two hours.

As the pressure increases, your ears might feel plugged, just like when you are in an airplane or at a great height. Simply swallowing or chewing gum can “pop” your ears back to normal hearing levels.

Your blood transports oxygen throughout your body. This oxygen helps to infuse injured tissues with more oxygen, allowing them to heal faster. After a session, you might feel lightheaded. You may feel headache, fatigue, or claustrophobia as mild side effects.

HBOT usually takes several sessions. Make sure to check with your insurance company or Medicare before you go ahead with your therapy.

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

Choose Healing Today

NexGen Hyperbaric proudly meets all these requirements and offers a personalized, safe and comfortable experience for all our patients. Please schedule a consultation at any of our clinics to get started with HBOT.
So what are you waiting for – Take a step toward healing and contact NexGen Hyperbaric Today!