May 20th, 2013 by Angel

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT therapy has come out as a boon in the world of medicine. In its effectiveness, it is second to none. From arthritis and diabetes to multiple sclerosis and autism – HBOT therapy has been able to make patients recuperate from an array of ailments and improve critical conditions. In addition to this, it also has a major role to play in healing burn injuries.

HBOT therapy improves the rate of healing of wounds in a person who has suffered severe burns throughout his body. However, it should be remembered that this therapy is effective only in cases of first-degree and second-degree thermal burns. In these two types of thermal burns, only the tissues of the skin get affected. With the introduction of oxygen inside the chamber, the healing mechanism of the skin takes a faster pace. But in cases of third-degree thermal burns, it is not just the skin which gets affected. Along with the skin, the muscles and even the bones get heavily damaged. HBOT therapy can not work to its full effect in these critical internal situations of the body.

A normal HBOT therapy session for a patient with burn wounds lasts between 30 minutes to 90 minutes. The duration of stay inside the chamber depends on the severity of the wounds. While the patient is inside the chamber, he is exposed to 100% oxygen. As a result, the pressure of air inside the chamber becomes two or three times greater than the normal atmospheric pressure. The white blood cells (WBCs) of the body get activated as they start receiving a higher supply of oxygen, and thus a faster healing process gets initiated.

The procedure is extremely easy. If you are affected with first-degree sunburns, visit a clinic which offers this therapy. Only a couple of sessions will be enough to cure your skin. In case of a more severe burn caused by fire or any such object, you will have to consult a physician. He’ll decide on the frequency of your visits. It should also be noted that HBOT therapy, except in healing minor first-degree burns, can never be a stand-alone treatment method for burn wounds. The patient should also undergo methods to get stabilized, maintain hydration and avoid infections.

HBOT therapy, after all, speeds up the process of recovery from burn wounds. Although the patient needs to be treated with other treatments, but HBOT therapy ensures that the burn wounds of the patient are healed in no time.

April 15th, 2013 by Angel

April is the month of autism. Therefore, in this blog post, we will concentrate on how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy helps to improve the health condition of children and adults suffering from autism.

Autism, as we all know, is a neurological developmental disorder that develops due to limited oxygen supply to different parts of the brain. This may result in any of the following behavior patterns: inability to communicate and express feelings of pain and anger, tendency to repeat certain activities obsessively, attention and retention deficit disorders, gastric-intestinal problems etc. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a non-invasive therapeutic procedure that attempts to improve the oxygen content of the various cells and tissues, so that, the various organs recover quickly and respond effectively to the different stimuli that come in from the environment.

The treatment procedure of HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) is quite simple. Patients are asked to lie inside an acrylic bedchamber, the pressure of which is gradually increased with regular dosage of oxygen. Patients are asked to breath in the oxygen that is being administered into the chamber under high pressure levels. The duration of these sessions are strictly determined by the physician on the basis of severity of the chronic condition. The best results are seen when the patient undergoes consecutive HBOT sessions on a daily basis, or every alternate day. In some cases, positive results are seen after ten to twelve sessions, but in other cases, improvement is seen after as many as forty sessions.

HBOT therapy is conducted in two types of chambers: monoplace and multiplace chambers respectively. The former is designed for residential use. It can accommodate only one patient at a time, and is meant for those autistic individuals whose heath conditions have improved to a major extent and need to undergo sessions for general upkeep. Multiplace chambers, on the other hand, can accommodate any number of patients between 6 to 8, and are generally found on hospitals, clinics and treatment centers. These chambers are administered by trained professionals, and are generally meant for patients who suffer from severe health deficiencies caused by autism. But whatever be the method of treatment, it is best to resort to professional help in the initial sessions before deciding to undertake this therapy at home.

HBOT therapy has often been at the center of controversy regarding its effectiveness, but with time, this method has proved to be immensely successful in the treatment of autism. Greater awareness will lead to quicker improvements and help autistic individuals and children to lead healthier lives.

April 2nd, 2013 by Angel

With the rising number of autism cases getting registered worldwide every day, time is ripe when the subject of autism should be treated with much care and seriousness. This is one medical condition that cannot be wiped out from the face of earth completely through any medicine or treatment. But, there is a handful of therapeutic measures through which we can offer the autistic people a good living. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is one of the most effective methods of keeping this medical condition under control. April is being observed as the World Autism Awareness Month since 1970.

The First Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Treat Autism:

Different theories relating to the cause behind autism are surfacing every day. Encephalitis or some damage caused by a possible brain injury are among such theories. While studying the brain scan reports of children with autism, scientists have observed that after the occurrence of any such damage, normal brain growth gets altered. That is the point from where most of the children start showing symptoms of disorder. A group of psychiatrists in Pennsylvania decided to put the HBOT treatment to test. The therapy was done on a group of adults and a group of children to see how it works on this disorder.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) – What is It:

Imagine a roomful of oxygen and you are comfortably sitting inside it. Feels rejuvenating? That is exactly what oxygen does to a person inside a hyperbaric chamber. This is a sealed chamber filled with oxygen. A brain scan of the autistic patient is done. As a method of the hyperbaric treatment, the patient is made to breathe pure oxygen inside the chamber, at higher atmospheric pressure. After a number of such therapy sessions are done, the patient undergoes a brain scan through which the post-therapy condition of the patient’s brain is determined.

Does HBOT Work in Treating Autism:

It does. Using hyperbaric chambers for treating autism due to stroke, aneurism or narrowing of arteries has yielded effective results. Proper brain scans have showed that shadowy area of the patient’s brain get reduced after a considerable amount of hyperbaric therapy is done. This research has enough evidence to be optimistic about effective healing of the autism caused by encephalitis with hyperbaric chamber.

April- World Awareness Month:

2nd April is observed as the International Autism Awareness Day, while April is considered to be the International Autism Awareness Month. Layman probably can hardly make any difference to the present condition of this neurological disorder around the world. But, the awareness about the disease and its possible therapies can be spread through pamphlets, blogs and words of mouth. If you have not given it a thought yet, April is the time to get started. Be a part of the international campaign to “Light it Up Blue” by the world’s largest center for autism science, Autism Speaks.

A tiny action of yours can be instrumental in spreading awareness about autism among them who still have several wrong notions about the disease. You can do your bit to make such ignorant people aware about the facts rather than the fictions. Paint your face with blue color or get your Facebook cover photo clicked in blue clothes. Events can be organized to offer lessons about this mental problem and its treatments. At least that can be the lay man’s contribution to the process of spreading awareness about this.

March 11th, 2013 by Angel

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, or HBOT functions on the basic principle of administering pure oxygen under higher atmospheric pressures. While traditional practitioners adhered to the fact that the percentage of oxygen needs to be a full 100%, recent developments have opined on the assertion that any percentage of oxygen that is higher than 21% is good enough for the treatment process, as slight modifications in the definition suggest that any amount of oxygen that is higher than that oxygen content in ambient air is good for the therapy. There are many beneficial effects of the greater circulation of oxygen within the body.

Here are some of the advantages.

• Improves the oxygen content in cells and tissues, thereby opening up the blockages and accelerating the process of recovery.
• Creates conditions that are congenial for the growth of new blood vessels in areas that had a limited supply of blood.
• Causes arterial dilations to rebound, thereby increasing the diameter of the blood vessels and improving blood circulation.
• Activates the production of superoxide dismutase which is an internally produced free radical scavenger and anti-oxidant.
• Accelerates the production of white blood cells that help in the healing of internal wounds and injuries.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves the overall circulation of blood inside the human body and the oxygen content of the various cells and tissues. This treatment is highly effective for treating patients suffering from autism, air embolism, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, skin diseases, strokes joint aches etc.

March 1st, 2013 by Nancy Smith

An extra dosage of oxygen is always beneficial for the human body. It helps in the recovery and revitalization of damaged cells and tissues and improves blood flow to the various organs. In fact regular HBOT therapy will result in the dissolution of oxygen into body fluids other than blood, like plasma and lymph nodes. Some even claim that with sustained therapy, the human body can even survive with a blood for a few days as oxygen is thoroughly dissolved in body fluids, cells and tissues.

Other than the aforementioned reasons, HBOT therapy is also useful for treating damaged muscle tissues. Therefore, athletes often undergo HBOT therapy in order to recover from their injuries. The best part is that monoplace, or portable hyperbaric chambers can be easily transported from one place to another. Athletes can travel along with these on tours, thereby saving themselves the hassle of getting admitted to a hospital. Also, portable chambers can be conveniently used at homes when the patient is being unable to get a reservation for a session in a multiplace chamber that is generally found in hospitals.

HBOT sessions also help in slowing down the process of aging as the constant supply of oxygen helps in the revitalization of damaged cells and tissues. Patients suffering from cerebral palsy, air embolism, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, various types of skin diseases etc benefit greatly by undergoing HBOT therapy.

Portable Hyperbaric chambers are relatively simple to use. The patient lies in a supine position while the pressure inside the chamber is gradually increased. Sessions do not last for more than an hour and the frequency of undergoing treatment depends on the patient’s progress and health requirements.

Even though it is relatively easy to handle monoplace hyperbaric chambers, expert supervision is preferable. Portable chambers are beneficial for those patients who are paralyzed and cannot be transported to a hospital. Also, these chambers are beneficial for athletes who travel a lot, and admitting themselves to a hospital for treatment in case of injury might be a hassle.

February 8th, 2013 by Angel

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The protocol for HBOT treatment depends greatly on the health condition of the particular patient. If the stage of the ailment is extremely advanced, then the frequency and time frame of the therapeutic sessions have to be lengthened and intensified. A trained and practicing physician should always be consulted before undergoing these sessions.

In case of acute conditions, such as sports injury, or exposure to toxins, a couple of sessions are more than sufficient. For patients suffering from these conditions, therapies do not extend beyond a week to ten days.

On the other hand, patients who have chronic conditions and have suffered sustained injuries, like bone or soft tissue damage might have to undergo as many as twenty or thirty sessions, or even more, perhaps. The length of the recovery process depends on the extent of damage, and it may require a few weeks to a few years to recover completely.

The initial bar for chronic cases is 40 sessions. This is then followed by an interim of rest, before resuming the second round of 40 more sessions.

HBOT treatment is always accompanied by physiotherapy to ensure an all-round development of the patient.

The duration of a session never extends beyond 2 hours. However, emergency situations like extreme cases of decompression sickness or carbon-monoxide poisoning may require extensive therapy sessions. According to records, patients have undergone therapy sessions that have extended over 8 hours.

Patients can undergo 2 HBOT therapy sessions in the course of a single day with a few hours of break in between. For marked and sustained improvements, sessions should be undertaken regularly throughout the course of the week.

HBOT therapy is an out-patient procedure, which means that patients can resume their daily course of activities after the session has concluded. This non-invasive procedure does not require any recovery period and does not hamper an individual’s professional and personal commitments.

February 6th, 2013 by Gregory Penn

Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, another manifestation of conventional hyperbaric oxygen therapy, is being upheld and championed as the latest innovative treatment procedure in the field on medical science. It has provided a substantial reason for many patients, suffering from incurable health conditions, to get some relief from the burden of their pain. It is an innovative process of treatment that involves inhaling pure and unmixed oxygen in a specially engineered pressurized compartment known as hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The whole idea of this treatment procedure is premised on the law of physics that proven that the amount of gaseous element that dissolves in a liquid is perfectly proportional to the amount of pressure put on it. It implies that the pressure of the chamber will increase the amount of oxygen which gets absorbed in the body’s fluid by nearly ten times. Although even more amount of oxygen might get dissolved in the body’s blood plasma if the pressure is increased, but for the mild hyperbaric therapy, the prescribed level of pressure is 1.5 ATA.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has the potential to cure and better the condition of many critical health problems. There are many patients whose wound healing process has worsened and decelerated by their health problem, making them to be a perfect choice for availing this therapy. Sometimes patients with high level of diabetes develop skin problems, which can be effectively tackled with the help of this therapy by exposing the affected body part to the highly oxygenated environment. This therapy also renders remarkable service to heal the skin problems which is caused by the malicious functioning of aerobic or anaerobic bacteria. Delicate skin tissues become the victim of their attack and runs the risk of getting potentially harmed by them. Sufficient oxygen supply to the affected parts can ensure that the pernicious effect of the bacteria attacks can be properly managed and the rate of their activities can be mitigated.

Lack of oxygen supply in sufficient amount can breed a number of skin problems, where hyperbaric oxygen therapy becomes mandatory. Bacterias which attack skin in full vigor and unleashes their entire harmful effect, becomes fully functional in that part of our skin which is deprived of the proper oxygen supply. Scarcity of oxygen supply creates the kind of atmosphere that is the most suitable for the performance of such harmful organisms. But after the patient is placed inside the hyperbaric chamber, the oxygen-rich atmosphere bars the growth and performance of the germs and helps the body’s defense mechanism to come out of stupor. When a strong restrain is exerted on the growth of the bacterias, the level of toxic elements that they produce are also brought some notches down. By that time, body wields its defensive shield, fight the infections and return to the normal state of health.

January 28th, 2013 by Joe Hall

Before discussing about portable HBOT chambers, let us take a brief look on the concept of HBOT Therapy. Well, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a specialized treatment wherein, the oxygen is inhaled at an atmospheric pressure which is higher than the normal. HBOT is not a new concept but has been in use for treating certain medical disorders, since 1800. Hyperbaric therapy was earlier used to treat conditions such as CO poisoning and gas gangrene, but, with advancements in the medical field, today, HBOT therapy is being increasingly used to treat a number of disorders, radiation injuries and chronic bone infections.

In HBOT Therapy, a patient is treated in a uniquely designed cylindrical chamber wherein he inhales 100% pure oxygen at a higher atmospheric pressure. In HBOT therapy, the alveolar oxygen pressure is enhanced, resulting in a steep rise of plasma oxygen content that in turn increases oxygen delivery to the tissues. Typically, the treatment lasts from one to two hours.

About Portable Hyperbaric Chambers

Portable Hyperbaric chambers are used to carry out HBOT therapy in home. At times, the portable HBOT chambers are also referred as mild HBOT chambers. The portable HBOT chamber was initially used to treat altitude sickness. Today, the chambers are used to treat several neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy and autism. Researches have revealed that mild HBOT therapy has also brought in significant improvements in other severe conditions which include multiple sclerosis, brain injuries and other immunodeficiencies.

Recent researches on hyperbaric medicine have revealed that mild HBOT chambers have an immune modulating effect and mild hyperbaric treatment when undertaken for a course of six months (or more) has yielded better results for most conditions compared to treatment undertaken at a higher pressure.

January 7th, 2013 by Edward Jones

Image Source : etchyperbaricchambers.com

Commercial HBOT chambers are used in clinics and hospitals where the patients are monitored by doctors and medical professionals. The commercial HBOT chambers are not portable and its internal volume measures over 80,000 cubic inches. The length of these chambers measures almost nine feet and its diameter measures 31 inches. The chamber can withstand pressure of up to 4 psi. This chamber can accommodate both child and adult comfortably.

Commercial HBOT chambers have dual layered polycarbonate windows which allow the light to come into enter the chamber. The attendant can observe the procedure within the chamber from either side of the window. The process of inhaling the oxygen can be carried out by wearing a mask or even without a mask.

Mono-Place Hyperbaric Chambers are designed for a single patient. The patient undergoes the procedure while lying down inside the chamber. People, mostly athletes, own Mono-Place chambers are for home-use. These mono-place HBOT chambers do not consume too much space and take up as much space as twin sized bed. The patients can read books or listen to music inside the chamber while undergoing the treatment.

In contrast to the Mono-place chambers, the Multi-Place HBOT Chambers can accommodate two to ten people at a single time. Since these chambers are pretty spacious, the patients can sit inside at their comfort, listen to music, or read books while undergoing the therapy. The parents can accompany their children into the chamber during their therapy. Some of the popular health clubs and gymnasiums also have multi-place HBOT chambers.

December 29th, 2012 by Gregory Penn

Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy is another form of conventional hyperbaric which functions to increase the oxygen level in our body’s blood plasma. With the oxygen level going up, higher amount of oxygen is supplied to our brain, tissues and organs. This therapy facilitates the direct absorption of oxygen into our blood and tissues, which serves to speed up the healing process, boosts the energy and stamina and maintain the balanced state of health.

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Oxygen is that element of air without which the survival of any biological entity becomes impossible. If there happens any lack in the oxygen supply, we start to feel lethargic and worn out, as oxygen is the most vital resource of energy. Oxygen also helps to check the functioning of harmful viruses, toxins and bacterias. Insufficiency in the supply of oxygen also can even cause our body to lose its balance. Although lack of oxygen is not symptomatic of any disease, but it can lead to the development of a number of health problems like premature aging, depression, lethargy and dullness. Prolonged insufficiency in the oxygen supply will slowly weaken our immune system, thus exposing us to the working of malicious germs and hence, to more and more severe diseases. Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy is recommended in the case of allergies, eczema, psoriasis, headache, tension, stress, blood circulatory problems etc.

Patients undergo this therapy in a specially designed chamber known as hyperbaric chambers which makes use of filtered atmospheric air together with a concentrator which creates pressure on the oxygen when it is delivered to the patient. As the patients undergo this treatment being fully clothed, so their clothing must be loose and comfortable. In the normal time the chamber remains deflated but when it is pressurized, it becomes inflated and becomes large enough for a person to sit or lie down. The pressure inside the chamber is 1.5 ATA and the patient needs to breathe normally, once he is placed inside the chamber. The session of this therapy tend to last for an hour and patients are allowed to resume their normal life immediately after receiving the therapy.