Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) harnesses the benefits of elevated pressure and 100% medical-grade oxygen to heal your entire body from the inside out. It’s effects on blood flow, gene expression, and countless other physiological systems make HBOT an effective therapy for both acute and chronic health concerns.
Why Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, or “HBOT,” involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber to significantly increase oxygen supply to your cells and tissues. The effects this has on your body makes HBOT incredibly beneficial for a wide range of indications for everything from post-COVID brain fog and concussions, to post-surgical healing and even dementia. HBOT has such a large therapeutic range because of the positive changes it induces on several key systems; especially the circulatory, immune, and regenerative systems.
In most medical conditions, one or more biological systems are dysfunctional and contribute to disease symptoms and progression. For example, the immune system is compromised in conditions such as Crohn’s disease while the circulatory system is dysfunctional in conditions such as dementia. By targeting the majority of these systems, HBOT can effectively improve a wide range of conditions as well as general health and wellbeing.
A century of clinical research has shown that the combination of oxygen and pressure:
- Increase levels of oxygen in your blood plasma, accelerating our natural ability to heal
- Regulates 8,101 of approximately 20,000 total genes
- Upregulates anti-inflammatory genes
- Down regulated inflammatory genes
- Mobilizes stem cells and growth factors associated with the body’s regenerative and reparative processes
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Who can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help?
HBOT can be used to treat countless medical conditions (both on and off label), accelerate recovery from acute injuries, protect against age-related diseases, and improve general health and wellness. Below are some of the most common conditions we see here at Extivita for HBOT.
- Osteoarthritis
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Post-Operative Healing
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
- Stroke
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Wound Healing
For a comprehensive list of conditions please visit our conditions we treat page.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
HBOT involves sitting in a hyperbaric chamber while breathing 100% medical grade oxygen through a mask or hood. The hyperbaric chamber gradually pressurizes to between 1.5 and 2.5 times the normal atmospheric pressure (referred to as 1.5 ATA and 2.5 ATA). This is equivalent to diving between 16 feet (1.5 ATA) and 50 feet (2.5 ATA) below water.
The majority of HBOT treatments at Extivita are at 2.0 ATA, which is equivalent to 33 feet below surface level. Because oxygen is considered a drug by the FDA, patients must obtain a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional for these therapeutic treatments. The specific pressure is also included in the prescription. Our in-clinic Nurse practitioner can write HBOT prescriptions following your in-person consultation.
How does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Work?
Our cells need oxygen to heal and stay healthy, and HBOT increases oxygen levels in the body by up to 1200% during treatments. In the hyperbaric chamber, patients breathe 100% medical-grade oxygen at an elevated atmospheric pressure, which allows the blood to “carry” and transport much higher concentrations of oxygen to our tissues(1).
Such an increase in oxygen causes elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Both ROS’s and RNS’s have been shown to regulate thousands of genes that control growth factors, cytokines, and hormones, and more(2, 3). HBOT can regulate these genes in a way that reduces inflammation, increases stem cell availability, forms new blood vessels, and defends against bacteria(3, 4).
New Blood Vessel Formation
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been shown to stimulate the formation of new blood vessels via processes called angiogenesis and vasculogenesis(5). In angiogenesis, HBOT increases the synthesis of growth factors that cause existing cells to form new blood vessels(6). In vasculogenesis, HBOT increases causes the formation of completely new blood vessels by mobilizing stem cells from the bone marrow(5). New blood vessels help transport nutrients and oxygen to injured tissue and facilitate healing which otherwise might not have taken place.
Increased Stem Cell Activity
Decreased Inflammation
Antibacterial & Antimicrobial
Frequently Asked Questions About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
How do I get started with HBOT (new patients)?
Before you come into the clinic, you will need to register as a patient in our patient portal. Here you will enter your medical history and primary reason/s for starting HBOT. After this, you will be able to schedule a consultation with Elena Schertz, FNP. You will be all set to begin treatment following your consultation!
How is HBOT administered?
What type of HBOT chambers do we use?
What can I do while in the HBOT chamber?
Will I be by myself during my HBOT session?
There will be a trained Extivita supervisor with you in all HBOT sessions. While you may be the only patient in the chamber on some days, most sessions will have other patients in the chamber as well. For additional information on how we are keeping our patients safe during COVID-19, click here.
How long does an HBOT session last?
What is a covered versus a non-covered condition?
Covered conditions are conditions that have been approved by the FDA for HBOT. There are currently 14 covered conditions in the U.S. including carbon monoxide poisoning, burns, osteomyelitis, and radiation injury to name a few.
Non-covered conditions are conditions that have large bodies of research and patient experiences in support of HBOT as an effective therapy. Many of our patients receive treatment for non-covered conditions. For the full list of the conditions we treat at Extivita, visit our conditions page. Additionally, the National Institute of Health (NIH) currently lists over 400 ongoing clinical trials for the use of hyperbaric medicine covering the treatment of conditions such as stroke, cancer, ulcerative colitis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and traumatic brain injuries. For a complete listing, visit the NIH Clinical Trials website.
How many HBOT treatments will I need?
Are there any side-effects to HBOT?
Recent Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy News & Research
Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Heal Your Brain?
Research supports hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a treatment for mild brain injuries and Alzheimers disease, but it remains controversial as a treatment for autism.(Nakleyka/Shuttertock) A new study shows promising results for this alternative...
Systematic Review and Dosage Analysis: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Efficacy in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Persistent Postconcussion Syndrome
Background: Mild traumatic brain injury results in over 15% of patients progressing to Persistent Postconcussion Syndrome, a condition with significant consequences and limited treatment options. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been applied to...
Israeli study: oxygen therapy working for PTSD
OXYGEN therapy can dramatically reduce post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a world-first Israeli study on Israel Defense Force veterans, during which half the subjects made such good progress they were no longer deemed to have PTSD. The...
References:
- Bitterman, Haim. “Bench-to-Bedside Review: Oxygen as a Drug.” Critical Care, vol. 13, no. 1, 2009, p. 205. DOI.org (Crossref), doi:10.1186/cc7151.
- Thom, Stephen R., et al. “Stem Cell Mobilization by Hyperbaric Oxygen.” American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, vol. 290, no. 4, Apr. 2006, pp. H1378–86. physiology.org (Atypon), doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00888.2005.
- Thom, Stephen R. “Oxidative Stress Is Fundamental to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.” Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 106, no. 3, American Physiological Society, Mar. 2009, pp. 988–95. journals.physiology.org (Atypon), doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.91004.2008.
- Godman, Cassandra A., et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Induces Antioxidant Gene Expression.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 1197, June 2010, pp. 178–83. PubMed, doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05393.x.
- Thom, Stephen R. “Hyperbaric Oxygen – Its Mechanisms and Efficacy.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, vol. 127, no. Suppl 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 131S-141S. PubMed Central, doi:10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181fbe2bf.
- Thackham, Jennifer A., et al. “The Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Treat Chronic Wounds: A Review.” Wound Repair and Regeneration, vol. 16, no. 3, 2008, pp. 321–30. Wiley Online Library, doi:10.1111/j.1524-475X.2008.00372.x
- Thom, Stephen R., et al. “Stem Cell Mobilization by Hyperbaric Oxygen.” American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, vol. 290, no. 4, Apr. 2006, pp. H1378–86. physiology.org (Atypon), doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00888.2005.
- Thom, Stephen R., et al. “Stimulation of Perivascular Nitric Oxide Synthesis by Oxygen.” American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, vol. 284, no. 4, Apr. 2003, pp. H1230–39. physiology.org (Atypon), doi:10.1152/ajpheart.01043.2002.
- Aicher, Alexandra, et al. “Essential Role of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase for Mobilization of Stem and Progenitor Cells.” Nature Medicine, vol. 9, no. 11, Nov. 2003, pp. 1370–76. PubMed, doi:10.1038/nm948.
- “CD34+AC133+ Cells Isolated from Cord Blood Are Highly Enriched in Long-Term Culture-Initiating Cells, NOD/SCID-Repopulating Cells and Dendritic Cel… – PubMed – NCBI.” Accessed August 19, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9831864?dopt=Abstract.
- Jiang, Yuehua, Balkrishna N. Jahagirdar, R. Lee Reinhardt, Robert E. Schwartz, C. Dirk Keene, Xilma R. Ortiz-Gonzalez, Morayma Reyes, et al. “Pluripotency of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Adult Marrow.” Nature 418, no. 6893 (July 4, 2002): 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature00870.
- Benson, R. M., et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Inhibits Stimulus-Induced Proinflammatory Cytokine Synthesis by Human Blood-Derived Monocyte-Macrophages.” Clinical and Experimental Immunology, vol. 134, no. 1, Oct. 2003, pp. 57–62. PubMed Central, doi:10.1046/j.1365-2249.2003.02248.x.
- Thom, Stephen R. “Hyperbaric Oxygen – Its Mechanisms and Efficacy.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, vol. 127, no. Suppl 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 131S-141S. PubMed Central, doi:10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181fbe2bf.
- Godman, Cassandra A., et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Induces Antioxidant Gene Expression.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 1197, June 2010, pp. 178–83. PubMed, doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05393.x.
- Memar, Mohammad Yousef, et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Antimicrobial Mechanisms and Clinical Application for Infections.” Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, vol. 109, Jan. 2019, pp. 440–47. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.10.142.
- Çimşit, Maide, et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as an Anti-Infective Agent.” Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, vol. 7, no. 8, Taylor & Francis, Oct. 2009, pp. 1015–26. Taylor and Francis+NEJM, doi:10.1586/eri.09.76.
- Turhan, Vedat, et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen as Adjunctive Therapy in Experimental Mediastinitis.” Journal of Surgical Research, vol. 155, no. 1, July 2009, pp. 111–15. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.jss.2008.08.031.
- Lerche, C. J., et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Augments Tobramycin Efficacy in Experimental Staphylococcus Aureus Endocarditis.” International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, vol. 50, no. 3, Sept. 2017, pp. 406–12. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2017.04.025.