HEALTH

A Beginner’s Guide to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

In a range of health issues, our body heals naturally. Our body has remarkable power to recover from accidents, traumas, and other health conditions. The major element contributing to this healing power is oxygen. With oxygen, inflammation and free ions in the body reduce, which leads to comprehensive healing.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one such treatment that helps deliver appropriate oxygen to our tissues and cells. Under high pressure, the therapy hyperoxygenates our body, which leads to tissue regeneration, increased blood flow, stem cell generation, and reduction in inflammation.

This article will discuss everything you need to know about HBOT therapy, what to expect during the treatment, hyperbaric chamber price, when it is feasible, etc.

Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a process that allows the patient to breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber.

When we are breathing normal air, our body inhales 21% oxygen from the air at normal pressure. This further converts to normal body functioning. However, when our body is injured or diseased, these affected sites experience a shortage of oxygen, which contributes to inflammation, oxidative stress, and many other issues.

In hyperbaric therapy, oxygen supply improves, and our body can contribute more power to healing processes. When pressure increases, the ability of liquids to dissolve in gases increases, which is why at high pressure, oxygen dissolves in our bodily liquids, like cerebral spinal fluids, lipids, and plasma.

With a hyper-oxygenated body, oxygen supply to diseased sites improves, accelerating healing, reducing inflammation, allowing stem cell regeneration, etc.

Due to these properties and the impact of HBOT therapy, it is FDA certified for gas embolism, chronic wounds, CO poisoning, decompression sickness, gas gangrene, thermal burns, and more diseases.

Benefits of HBOT Therapy

A hyperbaric oxygen chamber helps with following activities in the body, which makes it a treatment option for many diseases.

1. Hyperoxygenation

Firstly, it hyperoxygenates the body and increases oxygen in our bloodstream. This helps circulate more oxygen to the spinal cord, tissues, cells, organs, and diseased sites. As a result, hypoxia in the lungs or any body parts is reversed, and dying tissues/cells are saved.

2. Anti-Inflammation

During an injury, our body responds by increasing inflammation at the site. While this inflammation reduces naturally in some time, if it doesn’t, we need to find a way to reduce inflammation. HBOT therapy offers oxygen to diseased sites and promotes healing, which automatically reduces swelling. It also strengthens immune functioning and mitochondrial functioning, which contributes to reduced inflammation.

3. Anti-oxidant

When HBOT therapy oxygenates the body, it triggers enzymes that help in anti-oxidant functioning. Hence, HBOT works as an anti-oxidant even when believed otherwise. Find out the hyperbaric chamber price now and make a purchase.

4. Stem Cell Mobilization

Better oxygen circulation in the body leads to increased circulation in stem cells, which promotes the healing and regeneration of damaged stem cells and the generation of new stem cells.

5. Mitochondrial Support

Mitochondria is the powerhouse of cells. When cellular processes are hampered, or there’s mitochondrial dysfunction, energy levels reduce, and many other bodily issues arise. With hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we can improve oxygen delivery to mitochondria and improve energy production (or ATP production).

What Should You Expect During Treatment?

The entire process of receiving HBOT therapy is here:

  1. First, meet with your physician and discuss your health issues. Depending on the requirements of your body and your health conditions, the doctor may suggest the right treatment plan. For example, 60 minutes of therapy every week for 12 months at 1.2 ATA and 100% oxygen.
  2. After this, when you receive the therapy, there’s no harmful procedure involved. You need to sit in the chamber for the given time and relax. Today, we have chambers that allow you to sleep, lie down, or watch TV. You may only feel a little pressure in your ear.
  3. Throughout this time, an attendant watches the chamber to keep an eye on your vitals and other factors. If you feel uncomfortable, you can contact the attendant for support.
  4. Once the session is completed, you can walk out and continue your normal life.

A lot of patients experience a difference in their condition after the first session only. Hence, you can experience the difference in your situation when you walk out of the first session.

Usually, HBOT is paired with assistive therapies to help you receive optimum benefits. These therapies are not a part of HBOT, just help improve your health condition.

Hyperbaric Chamber Price

Patients who are expected to receive HBOT therapy in the long-term to treat their condition can consider purchasing the chamber from a hyperbaric oxygen chamber manufacturer.

What factors contribute to hyperbaric chamber price?

  • When you are receiving therapy from a clinic, then most likely only on-label treatments are covered by your insurance. For off-label treatment, you may need to pay the entire price.
  • In case, you decide to buy the unit, the hyperbaric chamber price depends on the type of chamber you take. For example, a monoplace chamber is cheaper than a multiplace. In this, you can also consider a soft chamber that offers 21% oxygen.

What are the types of hyperbaric oxygen chambers?

  • A monoplace chamber accommodates one person at a time. This means only one patient needs therapy, this is the best choice, which is cost-effective as well.
  • A multiplace chamber accommodates more people at one time, approximately ten. This is feasible for a clinic that is setting up an HBOT center.
  • A soft chamber offers 21% oxygen to the patient. This hyperbaric chamber price is also less than a multiplace chamber.

Summary

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the primary treatment option for many issues and health problems, such as CO poisoning, thermal burns, etc. Other than this, scientists are consistently finding an application of HBOT in many other fields. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists found that HBOT can help critical and severe patients avoid mechanical ventilation.

If your condition can also be treated using HBOT, consider hyperbaric chamber prices and start treatment today!