Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects thousands of Americans every
year. In 2013 alone, roughly 2.8 million people went to emergency
rooms across the nation for treatment for TBI. Between 2000 and
2017, 308,853 American service members sustained mild traumatic
brain injuries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
most of the cases seen in E.R.'s are categorized as mild traumatic
brain injuries (mTBIs). Mild traumatic brain injuries do not result
in a coma and people tend to start feeling better within a few
weeks. However, at least 20 percent of victims discover that
symptoms and other problems can remain for months or even years.
Many of the victims find they are dealing with a variety of
unwelcome symptoms, such as cognitive issues, headaches, fatigue and
depression. Also referred to as post-concussion syndrome, the
multiple and elusive symptoms are incredibly difficult to
successfully treat because most short-term remedies do not heal the
brain.
“An interesting study has been released that suggests hyperbaric
treatment, exposing patients to pure oxygen, would work for TBI
sufferers,” says Austin TBI attorney, Brooks Schuelke. “Such
treatment would significantly increase the amount of oxygen
available for the brain.”
The study, done by Tel Aviv University in Israel, points out that
TBI patients do not have enough oxygen to heal the damaged parts of
their brains. Researchers, however, remain skeptical of the results
presented in this study. Nonetheless, Tel Aviv University's study
may offer those with TBI hope for treatment.
Interestingly, physicians have used compressed air as a treatment
since the 17th century. In fact, in 1917, two German inventors used
pure oxygen to treat decompression sickness. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approved the use of hyperbaric oxygen in
treating burns, decompression sickness, non-healing wounds and
carbon monoxide poisoning. Within the last ten years, as research
remains inconclusive, some U.S. physicians have started to use this
method of treatment for TBI patients.
Source
“When a brain is injured, it needs more energy than normal to heal,
which makes sense, because the brain trauma affects the blood
vessels supplying the brain with oxygen,” Schuelke added. According
to the latest Israeli study, the hyperbaric therapy can help those
damaged blood vessels return to their full function, even many years
later.
The research at Tel Aviv University gives hope that hyperbaric
oxygen may be a lifesaving therapy for sports related brain
injuries, military engagement TBIs, car accident victims and others.
