You probably don’t need me to tell you how vital oxygen is to your survival, but did you know it has functions throughout your body, not just your lungs? Oxygen is essential for more than just breathing; it also speeds recovery from injuries and wounds.
However, the oxygen you breathe in every day isn’t necessarily enough to promote significant recovery. How, then, can you provide your damaged cells and tissues with the high oxygen concentrations required to heal?
The answer is hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT). Pressurized oxygen is used in this noninvasive alternative therapy to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes and restore health. The following six benefits of hyperbaric chamber therapy demonstrate the genuine significance of Cleveland Clinic hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a treatment for a broad range of injuries, infections, and other health problems.
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When Should You Consider Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
The benefits of anti-inflammatory oxygen therapy can only be appreciated by first comprehending the treatment’s mechanism of action. A patient undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy will spend anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes within a pressurized, oxygen-rich chamber. You’ll experience air pressure here that’s almost three times what you’re used to. You’ll feel like falling down the depths of a pool or soaring into the air.
There is nothing except oxygen in this chamber. Your body will be able to absorb significantly more oxygen than usual due to the increased air pressure inside the chamber. The technician or doctor administering the hyperbaric oxygen therapy may advise you to undergo several sessions to treat your condition effectively.
Advantages And Novel Applications Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
It alleviates discomfort and inflammation
Developed initially to alleviate the symptoms of decompression sickness in deep-sea divers, HBOT’s application has now broadened. It has the power to help with a wide range of problems. There is often no warning before the onset of chronic pain. Patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain have shown an improvement in quality of life after receiving HBOT. Participants in the study noted improvements in pain tolerance, physical functioning, and the prevalence of tender spots.
Because anti-inflammatory oxygen therapy can minimize swelling, more oxygen-rich plasma can be delivered to the site of an injury, speeding the healing process. Additionally, this procedure can revive healthy tissue in deep wounds where the bone is visible, and the surrounding flesh is necrotic.
Improving the Efficiency of the Immune System
The high-oxygen atmosphere of a hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) chamber can boost the effectiveness of your body’s immune system. HBOT has been demonstrated to alleviate autoimmune symptoms like erythema and lymphadenopathy in laboratory studies. Many people with autoimmune diseases or compromised immune systems may benefit significantly from HBOT.
Contribute significantly to the fight against cancer
Almost 40% of the population will be diagnosed with cancer sometime during their lifetime. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are common approaches to treating cancer. There is some hope that Cleveland Clinic hyperbaric oxygen therapy can slow the development of malignancies. In addition, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may reduce chemotherapy-related discomfort and speed recovery after radiation therapy.
Reverse nerve damage and pain
Neuropathy, or chronic nerve pain, affects a large population. Conditions such as diabetes, carpal tunnel, vitamin deficiencies, and poor circulation put them at a higher risk. The signs and symptoms of neuropathy might be alleviated with the help of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). Patients with diabetic neuropathy may benefit from HBOT, according to the research. Even peripheral nerves could regenerate in some patients.
Aids in the healing process
Infection or severe trauma can cause tissue disintegration. When the body sustains an injury, the blood vessels in the affected area are at risk of being harmed or severed. When blood arteries are damaged, fluid leaks out and accumulates in the tissue fibers, leading to cell swelling. After an extended period of oxygen deprivation, the surrounding tissue of the wound will begin to deteriorate. By bringing more oxygen to the circulation, treatment can minimize swelling and make room for the nutrient-rich blood to saturate the injured tissue and promote recovery.
Facilitates easier passage of gas bubbles
Lack of prompt diagnosis and treatment of air or gas bubbles in the blood can be lethal. This affects people who work in hazardous environments below ground, such as deep-sea divers or miners. When the body descends below sea level, nitrogen bubbles are released into the bloodstream and disrupt the normal flow of blood. One’s arteries could get blocked, leading to a cardiac arrest or stroke.
When the body’s pressure is reduced, its nitrogen bubbles collapse and dissolve into the blood. Like a real diver coming up to the surface, the pressure in the chamber is gradually dropped to allow the body to exhale the gas into the air.
Conclusion
HBOT helps heal chronic wounds, combat persistent infections, and relieve the constant pain. Treatment success is affected by many factors, including but not limited to the site of injury or infection, the patient’s age, the presence of any coexisting illnesses, and the timing of treatment. Talk to a doctor if you are still determining if Cleveland Clinic hyperbaric oxygen therapy is right for you. Because of its high combustibility, HBOT must be delivered in a specially licensed facility.
