What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – also known as HBOT – is a treatment process that has patients breathe in 100% pure oxygen in a sealed, high-pressure chamber.
The word “hyperbaric” means “atmospheric pressure greater than sea level”. Each HBOT chamber will operate at 1 ½ to 3 times that of normal atmospheric pressure.
HBOT is often used to treat soft tissue injuries, bone damage, infections, and air in the blood vessels. It is used for both acute and chronic conditions. And, HBOT can also be used to treat a variety of other health issues – like decompression sickness, gangrene, and brain abscesses. So far, though, HBOT has not been proven to cure cancer or AIDS.
The FDA has accepted HBOT as a legitimate treatment for 14 different health issues. However, HBOT is also used to treat a number of other health problems – from Autism to sports injuries. In fact, HBOT has been proven to be an effective treatment for more than 2 dozen ailments. And, HBOT research is being conducted all over the world, to see what other ailments the process can relieve.
When you’re in an HBOT chamber, pure oxygen is released, and the pressure inside is gradually increased. As you breathe in the oxygen, it makes its way into your bloodstream, where it dissolves and starts to circulate around your body. Blood that is chock full of oxygen has been proven to promote healing.
And, the high pressure in the chamber can also help your body heal. The high pressure allows your lungs to gather 3 times as much oxygen as they can at normal pressure levels.
An HBOT chamber is a clear plastic tube that has a padded table inside. Some HBOT chambers are built to hold one person at a time; others are built to treat 12 people at once.
Most HBOT sessions last about 2 hours. Each one may last a little longer or shorter than that, depending on your specific ailment and treatment protocol.
HBOT chambers were first used by the U.S. military back in the 1940’s as a way to help deep-sea divers. The pure oxygen used in HBOT chambers can help combat the issues that divers face when they emerge from deep waters, or rise up to the surface too quickly.
By the 1950’s, HBOT had made its way into the private sector. The process was being used during both heart and lung surgeries.
By 1960, scientists discovered that HBOT was an effective way to treat carbon monoxide poisoning.
Today, scientists are busy researching further uses for HBOT – in hopes that it will become a more common treatment.
