The human body can naturally heal from a series of ailments using an appropriate oxygen supply. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) uses this element, oxygen, to accelerate healing inside the body. It increases pressure and offers pure oxygen, improving oxygen supply to cells and tissues and allowing improved blood flow, stem cell mobilization, tissue regeneration, and reduced inflammation.
This guide explains the impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the human body; explore more.
What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy offers pure oxygen to the patient in a pressurized chamber. The pressure is increased 2 to 3 times inside this chamber, which helps with the appropriate absorption of oxygen inside the body, stimulating the healing process.
HBOT therapy functions on Boyle’s, Dalton’s, and Henry’s laws of physics that explain gases dissolve in liquids when pressure is increased. For example, the gas inside a soda can is dissolved till the cap is sealed. As soon as the cap is opened, the pressure releases and so does the gas.
Similarly, hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases pressure, allowing oxygen to dissolve in bodily liquids, like lipids and plasma. This improves oxygen supply to injured and deprived cells and tissues, which accelerates healing.
Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps many people recover from illnesses like non-healing wounds, gangrene, decompression sickness, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Many applications of this therapy are also being explored for autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s, and traumatic brain injuries.
Here are some benefits of HBOT therapy:
Anti-inflammatory
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves oxygen supply to injured cells and tissues, which downregulates inflammation in pathways and blood vessels. As a result, it reduces swelling by turning off genes that cause inflammation in the body. With reduced inflammation, the overall well-being and health of the individual are enhanced.
Hyperoxygenation
Hyperbaric therapy increases oxygen flow in the body, allowing this oxygen to reach tissues through cerebrospinal fluids and lipids. This oxygen reaches sites and cells that were originally deprived of appropriate oxygen due to diminished or hampered blood flow. This reverses the impact of hypoxia in the body, improving cell regeneration and overall functioning of the body.
Stem Cell Mobilization
At the time of hyperbaric treatment, stem cell mobilization increases multiple times. These stem cells are present in our bodies and can find different types of tissues, helping in healing and regeneration. With improved mobilization during HBOT therapy, healing inside the body is also enhanced.
Mitochondrial Support
Mitochondria is the power source of the cells in our bodies. HBOT helps mitochondria to create ATP or Adenosine Triphosphate, a chemical that allows the body to store and release energy for cellular processes inside the body. This is the main source of energy. However, when there’s cellular damage or any other issue, our body’s capacity to generate ATP is hampered.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps the body inhale an appropriate amount of oxygen, which regulates ATP production and ensures energy production in cells.
What to Expect?
If you are considering hyperbaric oxygen therapy for any health issue, here’s what you can expect during and after the therapy.
During the Therapy
Hyperbaric therapy is offered in one of these two chamber types:
- The mono chamber can accommodate only one person. This person can slide into the chamber or sit on the table, as per the design of the chamber. Most home units are single-person chambers.
- The multi-chamber can accommodate approximately 10 people inside the chamber. It is a big unit with better facilities. Every person needs to wear a mask to avoid spreading any infection to another person. However, they have a larger space to relax or lie down at the time of the treatment.
Whether you are taking therapy in a mono or multi-chamber, here are a few things that you may experience at the time of the treatment:
- The pressure inside the chamber is increased to 2 to 3, depending on the collective needs of every patient. As the pressure rises, you may experience a little discomfort in your ears, similar to what you feel in an airplane.
- The patient’s vitals are checked before entering the chamber, which ensures that it is safe for the patient to take this therapy.
- One attendant is always outside the chamber to regular pressure and other conditions depending on the situation of patients inside.
- The therapy may continue for 1 to 2 hours; therefore, some units have in-built things for entertainment.
After the Therapy
Once a session is over, the team will again check your vitals to ensure you are healthy. They may check your ears, blood pressure, and pulse. For patients who have diabetes, their glucose levels are measured.
When the team feels everything is normal, they let you leave.
Many patients feel tired and hungry after the sessions. Thus, it may help to eat something and rest after it.
Conclusion
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a valuable treatment for a series of health challenges. If you are considering this therapy, it is imperative to complete multiple sessions for long-term impact. It is also necessary to sit with your doctor, discuss your medical history, explain your current health challenges, and create a healthcare plan for consistent healing.
