Hyperbaric oxygen treatments have been used for a number of health issues, including chronic fatigue syndrome, reatment for RSD, and Lyme disease. The high pressure chamber work by providing increased oxygen to the cells, body and therapeutic high pressure compressive effects on tissue. The hyperbaric oxygen treatments include entering a pressure chamber and receiving 100% oxygen.
In the beginning, hyperbaric oxygen treatments were primarily used to treat diving accidents such as decompression sickness and nitrogen poisoning, but it has now become a proven and effective way to provide treatment for RSD and radiation necrosis, among other items. Radiation necrosis can occur at the site of an original tumor, as a long term complication from radiotherapy or radiosurgery. As such, it can be provided as part of an anticoagulation therapy.
As a treatment for RSD, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, hyperbaric treatments have proven to be an effective option for those suffering with the chronic pain symptoms. It helps to counteract the various symptoms such as sensitivity to light touch, swelling, skin color and temperature changes, weakness, abnormal sweating, muscle atrophy, or depression.
One of the main concerns of patients is the hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost. Depending on the number of sessions required, the therapy may be covered by insurance. Each treatment may be referred to a “dive” from its origination as a diving issue treatment. RSD treatments or various other treatments may require a course of 20 to 40 dives, but individual situations may vary.
In each session, you are in a chamber or room that has the air pressure raised up to 3 times the normal air pressure. Then pure oxygen is pumped in to give your body a high concentration of oxygen that causes the release of substances called growth factors and stem cells to increase healing. Since tissue can only heal with added oxygen, providing a higher dosage can restore blood gases to a healing range. Generally a session may last from 1 to 2 hours.
