Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps so many

Through the application of 100 percent pure oxygen, the body is saturated at the cellular level in a controlled, pressurized environment.

by Dr. Justin Wight — 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which uses oxygen saturation within a hyperbaric chamber, was originally designed to help safely eliminate oxygen bubbles from the blood of divers who had surfaced too quickly. Now these submarine-like chambers can be found nationwide in hospitals and clinics because of their numerous additional medical applications.

One prime example is wound care, frequently used for people with diabetes. Through the application of 100 percent pure oxygen, the body is saturated at the cellular level in a controlled, pressurized environment. This enables wounds — even those that do not respond to other treatments — to heal and renew damaged tissue very quickly.

Furthermore, HBOT enhances the function of white blood cells and facilitates the development of new small blood vessels. Enhancing hyperbaric immune and healing responses, this therapy reduces infection while promoting a bactericidal effect which halts the growth of anaerobic organisms.

With all these benefits available through such a natural, safe and medically sound delivery, it is no wonder that physicians order HBOT for many different types of complaints. Burns and skin grafts, wounds, osteomyelitis and radiation injury are all indicated (FDA-approved and Medicare/insurance-covered) conditions for HBOT. And the list of “off-label” conditions, meaning there hasn’t been enough research to permit insurance coverage, is ever increasing.

One outstanding HBOT success story is the treatment of MS. Some patients have achieved 100 percent alleviation of complications. For example, patients who were not able to walk from one side of the room to the other have become completely independent following HBOT treatment.

Stroke patients and those who have experienced other event-induced neurological dysfunctions, when treated promptly, can achieve reanimation of brain tissue, as well as regain speech, vision and limb use in many cases. Most patients can, at minimum, regain the ability to swallow. Near-drowning cases see similar results when receiving HBOT within a couple of weeks after oxygen deprivation.

And the list goes on. Carbon monoxide poisoning, severe bacterial infections, severe anemia, cerebral palsy, crash and brain injury, post-surgical healing and all auto-immune related disorders have been successfully treated, to name a few. People with all of these conditions have experienced the benefits of the accelerated healing provided by HBOT.

The pressure inside the chamber ranges, depending upon the condition being treated — e.g., diabetic wounds receive the equivalent of a 45-foot dive, while neuro patients require only the pressure of a 17-foot dive. Chambers vary in size from just one seat, to room for 15 people. To receive maximum benefits when using a larger chamber, it is important to ask your hyperbaric technician if your session will involve the pressure required to treat your condition, rather than an “average” depth dive for all the others in the chamber.

Justin Wight, M.D., is Medical Director at Tikey Health (Integrative Medicine), home to one of the largest hyperbaric chambers in Arizona. Dr. Wight provides natural wellness services, including weight loss. 480-951-1248, 480-556-8404, [email protected] or www.slimaz.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 27, Number 1, February/March 2008.