Physical therapy is an essential part of any rehabilitation program regarding many chronic conditions as well as many neurological disabilities. Rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary approach to aid the functional recovery of patients and their integration into society. It’s importance is large in all aspects of medicine and particularly so in neurological disorders where rehabilitation becomes not only physical but also psychological and (neuropsychology) techniques to help reprogram brain function.
The addition of HBOT into existing rehabilitation programs has shown a wide range of clinical benefits.
ROLE OF HBOT IN REHABILITATION
The conditions in which HBOT, done in hyperbaric chambers, has been found to be a useful adjunct to rehabilitation are:
- STROKE
- PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE
- HEAD INJURY
- TOXIC ENCEPHALOPATHY
- MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
- PARAPLEGIA
- SPORTS INJURIES
- CORONARY HEART DISEASE
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is designed to boost the supply of oxygen to ischemic tissue or to diseased tissues that respond to increased oxygen levels. Increasing the volume of oxygen dissolved in the blood plasma produces five basic effects:
- Reduction of volume of gas bubbles in the blood
- Vasoconstriction, which reduces edema and secondary hypoxia
- Restoration of aerobic metabolism to ischemic tissue
- Detoxification of poisoned tissues
- Enhanced phagocytosis