Hyperbaric oxygen therapy includes breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a well-established therapy for decompression sickness, a possible risk of scuba diving. Other conditions treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy embody serious infections, bubbles of air in your blood vessels, and wounds that will not heal as a result of diabetes or radiation injury.
In a hyperbaric oxygen remedy chamber, the air pressure is elevated two to 3 instances higher than normal air pressure. Under these conditions, your lungs can collect a lot more oxygen than can be potential breathing pure oxygen at regular air pressure.
When your blood carries this additional oxygen throughout your body, this helps battle micro organism and stimulate the discharge of drugs called growth factors and stem cells, which promote healing.
Why it’s performed
Your body’s tissues want an adequate supply of oxygen to function. When tissue is injured, it requires even more oxygen to survive. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the quantity of oxygen your blood can carry. With repeated scheduled treatments, the non permanent extra high oxygen levels encourage normal tissue oxygen levels, even after the remedy is completed.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to treat a number of medical conditions. And medical institutions use it in numerous ways. Your physician may counsel hyperbaric oxygen remedy when you’ve got one of the following conditions:
Extreme anemia
Brain abscess
Bubbles of air in your blood vessels (arterial gas embolism)
Burns
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Crushing injury
Deafness, sudden
Decompression sickness
Gangrene
Infection of skin or bone that causes tissue death
Nonhealing wounds, reminiscent of a diabetic foot ulcer
Radiation injury
Skin graft or skin flap at risk of tissue dying
Traumatic brain injury
Vision loss, sudden and painless
Risks
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is generally a safe procedure. Problems are rare. However this therapy does carry some risk.
Potential risks embody:
Center ear injuries, including leaking fluid and eardrum rupture, because of changes in air pressure
Momentary nearsightedness (myopia) caused by momentary eye lens changes
Lung collapse caused by air pressure adjustments (barotrauma)
Seizures on account of too much oxygen (oxygen poisonousity) in your central nervous system
Lowered blood sugar in people who have diabetes handled with insulin
In sure circumstances, fire — because of the oxygen-rich surroundings of the remedy chamber
The way you prepare
You will be provided with a hospital-approved gown or scrubs to wear instead of common clothing in the course of the procedure.
For your safety, items comparable to lighters or battery-powered units that generate heat usually are not allowed into the hyperbaric chamber. In addition, you could must remove hair and skin care products which are petroleum primarily based, as they’re a possible fire hazard. Your health care team will provide instruction on getting ready you to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
During hyperbaric oxygen remedy
Hyperbaric oxygen remedy typically is performed as an outpatient procedure however can be provided while you are hospitalized.
Generally, there are two types of hyperbaric oxygen chambers:
A unit designed for 1 person. In an individual (monoplace) unit, you lie down on a table that slides into a clear plastic chamber.
A room designed to accommodate a number of people. In a multiperson hyperbaric oxygen room — which normally looks like a large hospital room — you might sit or lie down. You might receive oxygen by a mask over your face or a lightweight, clear hood placed over your head.
Whether you are in a person or multiperson atmosphere for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the benefits are the same.
Throughout therapy, the air pressure in the room is about to a few times the conventional air pressure. The elevated air pressure will create a temporary feeling of fullness in your ears — much like what you would possibly really feel in an airplane or at a high elevation. You can relieve that feeling by yawning or swallowing.
For many conditions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy lasts approximately hours. Members of your health care team will monitotherwise you and the therapy unit all through your treatment.
After hyperbaric oxygen remedy
Your remedy workforce assesses you including looking in your ears and taking your blood pressure and pulse. In case you have diabetes, your blood glucose is checked. Once the workforce decides you’re ready, you will get dressed and leave.
You might feel somewhat tired or hungry following your treatment. This would not limit normal activities.
Results
To benefit from hyperbaric oxygen remedy, you may likely need more than one session. The number of periods relies upon your medical condition. Some conditions, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, may be treated in three visits. Others, comparable to nonhealing wounds, might require forty therapies or more.
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