Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Health Optimization

Humans want oxygen to outlive. In elementary faculty, all of us discovered that the air we breathe incorporates 21% oxygen.

Our our bodies use oxygen for vitality manufacturing. In the blood vessels, pink blood cells carry oxygen and bind it to hemoglobin. It then dissolves within the plasma and flows out to the physique tissues by the arteries and capillaries.

While we have recognized of the position of oxygen in our well being for tons of of years, it wasn’t till 1891 that Dr. JL Corning constructed a hyperbaric chamber in New York. Since then, we have continued to optimize the chambers for the perfect mixture of air stress and oxygen for therapeutic functions.

What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is when an individual breathes in 100% pure oxygen at elevated atmospheric stress. The pressurized chamber helps the physique higher take in the oxygen into the lungs and tissues.

The mixture of elevated oxygen focus plus further stress helps drive extra oxygen to the place our our bodies want it most.

Types of HBOT

There are three varieties of hyperbaric oxygen chambers. The first two are medical grades that you just discover in hospitals and medical facilities.

• Multiplace rooms – Multiple sufferers can sit inside. Some are outfitted with hoods or masks to breathe as a substitute of immersing your entire physique within the oxygen remedy.
• Monoplace chambers – A single particular person can lay or sit for medical remedy.
• Soft-shell chambers – For private use you can purchase for your individual dwelling. You zip your self into this one. The stress does not go up as excessive, however they nonetheless supply wonderful well being advantages.

We measure the stress as absolute ambiance (ATA). The soft-shells normally go to 1.3-1.7 ATA, whereas the hard-shells can go to five.0 ATA, however people can solely safely descend to three.0 ATA.

In well being care settings, the usual time inside is 90 minutes, plus 10 minutes on each ends to slowly enhance and reduce the stress. It takes a superb two hours out of your day.

In a medical setting, they’re usually clear acrylic chambers. The at-home units are opaque, normally insulated with cloth. (I do not thoughts the shortage of visible stimulation!)

Don’t take something into the chamber with you. You’ll must take away all jewellery and electronics out of your particular person (not that you have to be carrying your cellphone in your pocket anyway!) In well being care services, it is fairly customary to have TVs arrange for sufferers to look at.

HBOT Benefits

We are studying extra about how HBOT helps the physique. It:

• will increase oxygen – in all components of the physique
• Regrows blood vessels – by growing blood circulation and enhancing blood density within the physique
• Decreases swelling and irritation – by downregulating a number of inflammatory markers
• Improves lymphatic fluid circulation – from the elevated stress
• Stimulates stem cells – which helps the physique additional regenerate
• kills infections – by ravenous dangerous anaerobic micro organism of the atmosphere they should thrive

Overall, it could assist optimize your mobile functioning and mitochondria.

Typically, the common course of remedy that medical doctors prescribe and that some insurances cowl is 40 periods. The FDA approves of the usage of laborious chambers for the next medical circumstances:

• Decompression illness – counters the surplus nitrogen from resurfacing too quick whereas scuba diving
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• wound therapeutic
  • Diabetic foot ulcers and diabetic wounds
  • Radiation damage
  • Burns
  • Skin infections like gangrene
  • Skin grafts
• Osteomyelitis – non-healing bone infections
• Sudden deafness or listening to loss
• Gas and air bubbles in blood vessels
• Crush damage
• Anemia
• Vision loss

On the opposite hand, the FDA has solely accepted gentle chambers for altitude illness (AKA mountain illness).

In my podcast interview with Dr. Scott Sherr on hyperbaric drugs, he identified that whereas the FDA solely has 14 accepted makes use of for HBOT, different international locations have accepted it for over 70.

We nonetheless have so much to find out about the way it totally works. However, medical doctors have continued to review hyperbaric remedy for extra off-label makes use of.

• Cancer – usually used together with chemotherapy and radiation, probably rendering them more practical
• arthritis – it could assist scale back signs when oxidative stress and C-reactive protein ranges are too excessive
• Ischemia – it could scale back the long-term results of coronary heart assaults and strokes
• Reproductive points – it could enhance fertility and reverse erectile dysfunction
• persistent sickness – from persistent fatigue syndrome to Lyme illness, there are a lot of case research of use for these sicknesses
• Traumatic mind damage
• Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Many athletes use it for delicate accidents, claiming it quickens the restoration course of. Others use it for anti-aging. Some veterinarians supply HBOT for pets.

Because of the few negative effects, many various practitioners are prepared to strive HBOT for advanced persistent sicknesses and different well being circumstances that have not responded to plain remedies.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Side Effects & Cautions

Nevertheless, HBOT is not for everybody. As at all times, speak to your physician about hyperbaric oxygen remedies earlier than doing them.

You may cause harm with an excessive amount of of a superb factor like oxygen. There is such a factor as oxygen toxicity. When the quantity of oxygen is simply too excessive, it may enhance reactive oxygen species.

Some circumstances require further warning:

• Recent accidents – in case you’ve just lately been in an accident, well being care suppliers will want a scan to be sure to do not have a pneumothorax (a pocket of air contained in the lungs)
• Ear points – the elevated ear stress can injure the center ear
• lung illness
• Seizure issues

In animal research, too excessive of stress induces cataracts and can even trigger sinus points. Some report non permanent imaginative and prescient adjustments, however these clear as soon as the remedies end. Because 98% of the micro organism within the intestine microbiome are anaerobic, one ought to think about supplementing with Probiotics.

Some HBOT facilities counsel taking antioxidants to assist counter oxidative stress when utilizing excessive doses.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Home

It’s fantastic that we are able to now harness the facility of oxygen within the privateness of our personal properties. (And spend much less cash whereas getting to maintain the system.)

The manufacturers I like to recommend are:

• Hbot Plus – They supply two soft-shell choices, one for sitting and one for mendacity down. They even have one hard-shell design.
• Hyperbaric Pro – They have soft-shell designs for mendacity down, these in wheelchairs, and a number of folks directly, along with hard-shell fashions.

I obtained to expertise hyperbaric oxygen with a buddy who was battling Lyme Disease. Like when I’ve gone underwater diving, you possibly can really feel a little bit stress inside your ears and in your pores and skin. It’s virtually such as you’re in an airplane the place your ears pop whenever you open your mouth. I wish to chew gum whereas in it to assist with the stress.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr.Tim Jackson. He is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Orthopedic Rehabilitation, and a Functional Medicine supplier. He holds a BS Degree in Health Science and Chemistry from Wake Forest University. As at all times, this isn’t private medical recommendation and we suggest that you just speak together with your physician.

Have you tried hyperbaric oxygen remedy but? Will you strive it?

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