What is Hyperbaric Oxygenation Therapy (HBOT)?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is the medical use of oxygen at an increased level of pressure - (hyper) means increased, (baric) means pressure. HBOT raises the levels of oxygen in the body's blood plasma which leads to higher amounts of oxygen being delivered to the body's tissues, organs and brain.

HBOT is used to treat conditions caused by inadequate oxygen in the body or to speed up the healing of injuries or infections by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body's cells. In short it accelerate the generation of new cells in the body.

The treatment consists of breathing in pure oxygen (100%) through a face mask or Hood whilst sitting normally and comfortably in a chamber where pressure is increased to a predefine level normally twice or thrice the atmospheric pressure for a period of time ranging between 60 and 90 minutes.

What happens inside the HBOT Chamber?

When a person is in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber:

• Oxygen molecules are dissolved into the plasma.
• Oxygen levels are increased only slightly in the haemoglobin (RBC), which is already working at about 95 percent capacity.
• The bloodstream can carry as much as six times more oxygen than while breathing room air outside of the chamber.
• The plasma is infused with enough oxygen to sustain life without any haemoglobin.
• This oxygen-saturated plasma moves from the circulatory system into tissue spaces, seeping into areas where there is no blood flow, or where blood flow is diminished or compromised and carries oxygen molecules with it. More oxygen is delivered to more cells than can be delivered by the circulatory system.
• There is less energy transfer involved when a cell receives an oxygen molecule.
• Other body fluids, such as the cerebrospinal fluid, are also infused with molecular oxygen.

The total effect is that the body has become hyper-oxygenated and thus, the process is known as hyperbaric oxygenation.

Breathing 100 percent oxygen under pressure enhances a body’s ability to heal itself naturally.

What are the benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, has assumed an ever-expanding role in modern medical practice, offering numerous advantages to physicians, surgeons and patients. Its clinical use in a growing number of indications demonstrates its effectiveness in primary and adjunctive care.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy significantly:-

• increases the supply of oxygen to injured and diseased areas
• reduces swelling, pressure and pain
• promotes the repair of injuries
• enhances the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria and prevent infection
• improves the rate at which lactate and ammonia levels return to normal after exertion so boosting energy and performance levels and minimising stress and fatigue

Reported benefits of HBOT are improvements in:-

To remain healthy, every cell in the entire body must be provided with a continuous supply of oxygen. Oxygen starvation or deficiency is one of the main causes of degenerative diseases.

As we age, our bodies take in less oxygen. All of the physical and chemical processes of the body require oxygen. Oxygen is used to rid the body of toxins, viruses and disease.

Oxygen deficiency is vastly widespread. It is of the utmost importance to know the reasons why we may not be getting enough amazing oxygen.

To summarize: air pollution; processed and cooked foods; smoking; chemically treated and polluted water; sprayed fruits and vegetables; toxin polluted homes; lack of ventilation in offices, work places and homes; lack of exercise; alcoholic and soda beverages; aging and stressful lifestyles; all contribute to oxygen deficiencies.

Oxygen is essential for all healing. There are times during illness and serious injury when the body is under stress and requires greater amounts of oxygen to heal effectively. This is where Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help.

HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) decreases the growth and viability of many microorganisms while enhancing antibiotic effectiveness and the patient immune response.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is used to treat conditions caused by inadequate oxygen in the body or to speed up the healing of injuries or infections by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body's tissues.

Long established as the primary therapy in the treatment of medical disorders such as carbon monoxide poisoning and gas gangrene, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is now increasingly being used on an adjunctive basis in the management of a variety of disorders refractory to standard medical and surgical care. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment has been shown to be particularly effective in treating problem wounds, chronic bone infections and radiation injury.

Dermatology

• Acne, Herpes, Herpes Zoster, Hair loss, Skin care

Surgery

• Infection, Acute injury, Ulcer, Burn treatment, Wound, Fracture and so on.

Plastic surgery, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation

• Edema, Cell reproduction after micro-surgery, recovering of muscle and bones.

Neurology

• Senile dementia, Stroke, Paralysis, Neurosis, Autism, Schizophrenia, Headache, Migraine, etc.

Internal medicine

• Bronchitis, Acute exogenous poisoning(Carbon monoxide poisoning, Gas poisoning), Sequela after stroke, Cerebral hemorrhage, Cerebral infarction, Arteriosclerosis, Diabetes, Ischemic heart disease, etc

Ophthalmology

• Diabetic retinitis, Keratitis, etc.

Oriental medicine

• Cerebral hemorrhage, Heart attack, Cerebral infarction, Chronic insomnia, Arteriosclerosis, etc.

Well-being

• Chronic fatigue, Stress.

All illnesses and injuries cause some degree of trauma to the body’s organs, tissues, blood vessels, nerves, joints, muscles and/or bones. In many cases, this trauma is severe enough to produce swelling, blood loss, blood clots or scarring. These unpleasant conditions block the body’s blood flow (circulation) and its ability to carry oxygen. As a result, injured or diseased areas are deprived of adequate oxygen supply at a time when it is needed most, thus limiting, delaying or even preventing recovery. This is where Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy allows up to 10 times more oxygen to reach those areas of damage where circulation is diminished or blocked and thus creates better conditions for recovery.

In normal air (at sea level) we breathe 21% of oxygen. At this level our blood cells which carry the oxygen around our bodies are almost fully saturated. In other words, the red blood cells cannot carry much more oxygen. However, when breathing pure oxygen (100%) under pressure, the blood serum (the clear liquid in which all blood constituents are carried) is capable of taking large additional amounts of oxygen which are then transported around the body. This procedure is used in emergency life support systems and in intensive care settings. Breathing oxygen under pressure causes the dilated and leaky blood vessels to constrict back to normal size, thus reducing swelling and cell death. Also, whilst under pressure, more oxygen is delivered to the bloodstream so increasing the amount available to help healing and repair. Many pharmaceutical products will also reduce swelling, but they may also reduce the available amount of oxygen and they certainly cannot replace oxygen.

How is HBOT administered?

HBOT is only offered with the knowledge of your Consultant or GP.

Each treatment session lasts 60 minutes. The number of treatments varies depending on the nature and severity of the condition. Generally sports and minor injuries will require an intensive course of treatment until full recovery is achieved while chronic conditions by their nature will require ongoing treatment to maintain well-being and symptom relief. In most cases this consists of 5 hours of oxygen per week for one month followed by hourly 'top-up' sessions, which may vary from once a week to once fortnightly or even once monthly depending on the individual concerned.

Our chamber allows 1 to 8 people to be treated simultaneously. All clients are assessed both before treatment and at designated intervals thereafter. Thus, the treatment regime is designed specifically for the individual's needs.