Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment
we utilize at Core Health in St. Louis. Take the time to read
through this blog, and you will see why this treatment is so
instrumental to our functional medicine practice. The fact that
healing can take place by simply providing enough oxygen to the body
is astounding!
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a painless, natural therapy in which
95% oxygen is inhaled while lying in a pressurized chamber. HBOT
increases oxygen concentrations in the plasma and lymphatic system,
up to ten times the normal amount! This simple treatment has been
shown to help countless people, from toddlers with autism to seniors
with dementia. While receiving HBOT, the body and cells become
oxygen-saturated, leading to increased cell function, healing and
repair, and anti-aging effects.
Just think of how rejuvenated you felt if you’ve ever been on a hike
in the mountains; you feel like breathing is so much easier, and
your body becomes energized. HBOT provides that same type of feeling
ten times over, and offers numerous benefits.
Why Oxygen?
The body needs oxygen to survive. We all know this, but the benefits
received from increasing your oxygen levels, can be just short of
miraculous! Hold your breath for 1 minute and you will realize how
vital oxygen is for life. Unfortunately, the air we breathe today is
contaminated by pollutants such as carbon monoxide, lead, and
particulate matter. We do experience slightly different levels of
oxygen intake based on our environment. Imagine walking through
downtown St. Louis, and how it feels to breathe. Now imagine being
on the countryside, and how that feels when you breathe. There’s a
difference right? Which one feels better?
When we breathe in air normally, we are inhaling around 21% oxygen,
the rest of the air around us is made up mostly of nitrogen and a
few other gases. Normally, we breath in oxygen through our lungs,
where it is perfused into the bloodstream, and carried on by
hemoglobin in red blood cells. From there, the oxygen helps the body
use nutrients for energy. The more oxygen present, the higher rate
at which these bodily processes can function.
Bottom line: our cells need optimal oxygen levels to be healthy,
without enough oxygen, cell health declines, leading to disease.
What are the benefits of HBOT?
Anti-Aging
We are only as old as our cells. You may have heard that old adage,
but it is true. Our cells dictate how fast or slow we age. When
there is an abundance of oxygen available for cellular respiration
and energy, the cell doesn’t have to work as hard (and you’ll have a
more youthful appearance).
Improved Circulation
HBOT can have a unique benefit called angiogenesis. This means that
the body can actually restore and grow new blood vessels. This
becomes extremely important when there have been damaged body parts
(brain, heart) that have lost or diminished circulation. When the
body is able to re-perfuse the affected area, much needed nutrients
can bring healing capabilities and restore function.
ncreased Stem Cell Production-You’re going to want to keep reading
this part!
Stem cells are unique because they can differentiate to become
almost any cell in the body. These can mature to become bone,
muscle, neurons, organ tissue, and many others. Stem cell therapy
has been publicized in the news for its mind-blowing health
benefits. If there were only a way to multiple your own stem cells…
According to a study published by the American Journal of
Physiology, after 20 treatments of HBOT the circulating stem cells
increase eightfold! You read that correctly, 8 times the number of
stem cells. This is yet another reason why HBOT is key to our
functional medicine treatment plans at Core Health in St. Louis.
Improved Immune Function
Think of your white blood cells as your army against bacteria,
viruses, yeast, fungi, parasites, etc. HBOT not only increases white
blood cell production, but also helps WBCs cells seek out and
destroy certain invaders. Studies have shown antibacterial effects
from HBOT.
What conditions have seen improvement with HBOT?
Concussion/ Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Traumatic Brain Injuries have become commonplace in today’s world,
happening in young athletes, military personnel, and car accident
victims. These can be very frustrating and damaging to quality of
life for many affected. Symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss,
vision changes, and headaches are common. HBOT is a revolutionary
treatment for people suffering from TBI’s and concussions. One study
showed significant improvements in cognitive functional and quality
of life after 40 Hyperbaric treatments.
Autism
There have been numerous studies in the medical literature that show
hypoperfusion in ASD (autism-spectrum disorder) children; meaning
that they have decreased blood flow to the brain. Through SPECT
scans, it has been shown that up to 86% of those with autism have
hypoperfusion of the brain (low blood flow=low oxygen) Also, in 2005
Johns Hopkins published results of individuals with autism. The
studies showed high levels of neuroinflammation (inflammation of the
nerves and brain).
In one study, 62 children with autism either received slightly
pressurized air or pressurized air more consistent with HBOT. The
results were staggering: children with autism who received
hyperbaric treatment at 1.3 atm and 24% oxygen for 40 hourly session
had significant improvements in overall functioning, receptive
language, social interaction, eye contact, and sensory/ cognitive
awareness compared to children who received slightly pressurized
air. This amazing part of this study is that both groups only
received pressurized air, not even 95% oxygen!
Another study in Thailand showed 75% improvement in children with
autism after HBOT sessions. The children showed improvements in
social development, fine motor and hand-eye coordination, language
development, gross motor development, and self-help skills.
One study done privately in Hawaii by Dr. Markley, protocol 20 hours
HBOT at 1.5 ata with 100% oxygen, showed amazing results after just
20 hours, less than half the starting prescribed treatment.All
participants received comprehensive ADOS and ADI-R testing just
prior to beginning HBOT. They also were evaluated using a Global
Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores.
Stroke Rehabilitation
Strokes are the most debilitating disease or process on the planet.
If one survives a stroke, he or she may be left with minimal
function of the brain or body. Strokes happens when the blood supply
to the brain is interrupted for a period of time. A thrombotic
stroke is the most common, in which a clot forms in an artery, due
to vascular disease. You can think of it like a heart attack in the
brain. Many theories suggest that the surrounding area of brain
damage, called the penumbra, can be rehabilitated with oxygen. The
only way to deliver oxygen to this area is HBOT.
Cancer
Cancer has been shown to shift cells into an anaerobic glycolysis.
This means that the cells that used to use oxygen for energy now use
glucose (sugar). In tumors, hypoxia of the cells has been found as
well. Some of these cancers can be resistant to delivery of
chemotherapy and less susceptible to radiation for this reason. One
clinical review states “Hypoxic tumor cells are relatively
insensitive to conventional therapy owing to cellular adaptations
affected by the hypoxic microenvironment. One way to increase tumor
oxygen tensions is by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. Hyperoxia as
a result of HBO also produces reactive oxygen species, which can
damage tumors by inducing excessive oxidative stress.”
Other conditions that have seen improvement with Hyperbaric Oxygen
therapy:
-Alzheimer’s/ Dementia
-Multiple Sclerosis
-ADD/ADHD
-Lyme
-Chronic Fatigue
-Pre and Post Surgery
What is a typical session like?
A typical HBOT session lasts about 1 hour. The person lays in the
comfortable inflatable chamber and breathes in 95% oxygen through a
mask. The chamber slowly pressurizes up to about 1.3 ATM, stays for
the majority of the time, then slowly depressurizes. The
pressurizing and depressurizing feel similar to rising and landing
in an airplane. While in the chamber, you are allowed to bring
portable electronic devices like phones, iPads and tablets . The
whole treatment takes about an hour. Side effects are very minimal,
including mild ear and sinus pressure. If you have an infant, a
parent can accompany them in the chamber.
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