“Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy” or HBOT is a medical treatment involving the use of oxygen under increased atmospheric pressures. You may have heard of this therapy before, as it has gained some momentum and attention in treating a wide variety of conditions within the past decade. The therapeutic principle of HBOT lies in a drastically increased partial pressure of oxygen in the tissues of the body. The oxygen partial pressures achievable under HBOT are much higher than those under breathing pure oxygen at normobaric conditions. This increase in atmospheric pressure relates to an increased oxygen transport capacity of the blood. Under normal atmospheric pressure, oxygen transport is limited by the oxygen binding capacity of haemoglobin in red blood cells while very little oxygen is transported by blood plasma. With HBOT, oxygen transport by plasma is significantly increased, supplying the body with an increased oxygenation, promoting healing on a cellular level. Cincinnati Hyperbarics has a trained and certified staff, along with state of the art hyperbaric chambers. We have been treating patients for 10 years and have been at the fore front of free-standing centers in America. On a daily basis we see how this therapy can have an impact on a patient’s health and quality of life.
Indications
Currently the indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy are expanding. Throughout the world there are over 100 diagnoses that benefit from the use of this therapy. The following list shows diagnoses for which we have the ability to treat:
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Autism / Autistic Spectrum Disorders |
ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) |
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ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) |
Traumatic Brain Injury |
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Cerebral Palsy |
Chronic Fatigue |
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Crohn’s Disease |
Immune Dysfunction |
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Interstitial Cystitis |
Fibromyalgia |
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Lyme’s Disease |
Lupus |
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Migraines |
Multiple Sclerosis |
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Neuropathy |
Sports Injuries |
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Rheumatic Diseases |
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy |
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Stroke |
Contraindications
There are few contraindications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In fact, the medical textbook, Hyperbaric Medicine Practice states, “Of all the medical treatments carried out in hospitals, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the most benign (non-threatening) when it comes to side effects. The contraindications are relatively few.” Never the less, the use of oxygen under hyperbaric conditions is a medical therapy, and as such, does have some conditions which make this treatment inadvisable for some patients. The following is a list of relative contraindications:
- Upper respiratory infections: These conditions can make it difficult for the patient to clear their ears, which can result in what is termed, “sinus squeeze”
- High fevers: In most cases the fever should be lowered before treatment begins.
- History of thoracic (chest) surgery: There is concern for air trapping in lesions that were created by surgical scarring. These conditions need to be evaluated prior to considering hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
- History of spontaneous pneumothorax.
- Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with CO2 retention or bullous emphysema. This condition can lead to a pneumothorax during hyperbaric treatment.
- Severe cardiomyopathy or decompensated congestive heart failure (CHF).
- History of optic neuritis.
- History of reconstructive ear surgery.
Also, patients should not undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy if they are taking or have recently taken the following medications:
- Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) – A chemotherapeutic drug.
- Disulfiram (Antabuse) – Used in the treatment of alcoholism.
- Cis-Platinum – A cancer drug.
- Mafenide Acetate (Sulfamylon) – Suppresses bacterial infections in burn wounds.
