Breathing Life into Wellness: What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
WHAT IS IT?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment where you get to sit in a cool, sci-fi-looking chamber filled with pure oxygen. It’s kind of like an oxygen phone-charging station for your body.
The chamber is a sealed room where the air pressure gets increased higher than normal. You’re able to breathe in a lot more oxygen than you normally would.
This flood of extra oxygen gets absorbed by your blood and delivered to tissues all over your body. Any areas that are injured or not getting enough oxygen will soak it up like a sponge!
We use hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help treat stuff like:
- Non-healing wounds
- Infections
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Decompression sickness
- Radiation injury
WHY YOU NEED IT
The key is that hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers high levels of oxygen to damaged tissues that aren’t getting enough. This extra oxygen acts like fuel to rev up your body’s natural healing systems. It gives your cells the boost they need to recover!
Here are some reasons why someone might need hyperbaric oxygen therapy:
- You have a wound or infection that won’t heal – The extra oxygen helps repair damaged tissues and fight bacteria.
- You have carbon monoxide poisoning – The oxygen clears out the toxic gas.
- You have decompression sickness (“the bends”) – The therapy shrinks bubbles caused by pressure changes.
- You have a skin graft or flap that isn’t healing well – Oxygen improves blood flow to help the graft attach properly.
- You have an injury caused by radiation therapy – Oxygen reduces swelling and helps heal burned skin.
- You have a bone infection – Oxygen gets rid of bacteria and stimulates growth of new blood vessels.
- You have sudden hearing loss – Oxygen can help restore blood flow to the inner ear.
- You have a neurological condition like stroke or brain injury – Oxygen supports nerve regeneration.
- You have chronic wounds or ulcers – Oxygen assists the body in healing stubborn wounds.
- You have crushing injuries or compartment syndrome – Oxygen reduces swelling and inflammation.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Here’s what you can expect if you have a session in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber:
You’ll enter a room that looks like a big clear tube or pod – kind of like an airlock on a spaceship! The staff will help you get settled comfortably on a chair inside the chamber.
The door will be closed and sealed shut. Don’t worry, you can still talk to the staff if you need anything!
Next comes the pressurization. You’ll start to feel your ears pop as the chamber squeezes in. It can feel a little strange at first as the pressure ramps up higher than normal. But it doesn’t hurt – it just takes some getting used to. Try yawning or swallowing to “pop” your ears.
Once the chamber reaches the right pressure, you’ll be breathing air with 2-3 times more oxygen than normal. You might feel a little tingly and energized from the extra oxygen. Many people just relax or take a nap during the session.
Sessions typically last 1-2 hours. You can expect to have several sessions over the course of treatment. The staff monitors you the whole time to make sure you’re comfortable.
When it’s time to finish, the chamber will slowly decompress. You’ll feel your ears pop again as the pressure is lowered back down.
Afterward you can go about your normal activities. You might feel tired or have a mild headache, but those side effects usually go away quickly. The super-oxygenated air will keep working to heal your body!
