You must have heard this term but probably weren’t clear about it. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is breathing 100 percent oxygen while being pressurized to higher than normal pressures (the pressure at sea level). The procedure is carried out in a customized chamber where the patient can breathe 100 percent medical-grade oxygen while progressively increasing the pressure inside the chamber. You may have heard of hyperbaric chambers for athletes because they often push their body and lungs to the limit and to the point where they cannot intake as much oxygen as needed. However, this is not its sole purpose.

We all have studies some famous theories in high school physics which included Boyle’s law, Henry’s law, and Dalton’s law. Here is how they’re applied in real life, breathing oxygen under pressure allows oxygen to dissolve into the plasma fraction of the blood. Plasma does not carry oxygen in normal circumstances; red blood cells and hemoglobin are responsible for this. When oxygen is dissolved in plasma, it can go at least four times further into the body’s tissues, resulting in a substantially higher oxygen concentration throughout the body.

 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy UK or be it anywhere else, this therapy is worth trying for if you have concerns related to this therapy. 

Benefits:

Anti-Inflammation:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy inhibits inflammatory pathways and constricts blood vessels, resulting in less fluid leakage and less swelling. HBOT has long-term epigenetic effects, turning off the genes that cause inflammation. Inflammation is a major reason why our bodies deteriorate over time.

Inflammation and swelling are reduced, the immune system is strengthened, and mitochondrial function is improved.

Neovascularization:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy encourages the formation of new blood vessels in the body, which improves circulation and allows regenerated tissue to thrive long after the treatment is finished.

Hyperoxygenation:

HBOT increases the amount of oxygen delivered into the bloodstream, which allows increasing oxygen to dissolve deep and properly into the body’s tissues.

This helps to oxygenate cells and tissue that are at risk of dying such as tissue damaged during surgery or from a loss of blood flow. 

Stem Cell Mobilization:

HBOT has the ability to boost the number of stem cells in circulation by eightfold during therapy. These stem cells are already present in the body and have the unique potential to develop into any form of tissue, making them an important tool for healing and regeneration.

Antimicrobial Effect:

By weakening infection-causing microorganisms, hyperbaric oxygen therapy strengthens the immune system. It also boosts the body’s natural antioxidants and free radical scavengers, boosting the body’s ability to fight infection and disease. It can also improve the efficiency of certain antibiotics by interacting with them.

Mitochondrial support:

HBOT enables mitochondria, our cells’ batteries, to produce adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is the molecule that stores and releases the energy required for numerous cellular functions, and it is our body’s primary energy source. When cellular damage occurs and oxygen-carrying ability is compromised, your body is at risk of not producing enough ATP

When you breathe 100 percent oxygen under pressure, your circulatory system receives 1,200 percent more oxygen, which is delivered directly to your plasma. HBOT helps enhance cellular energy generation by giving extremely high quantities of oxygen.

What are the things you can expect at the time of the treatment:

Prior to your first session, you will meet with a credentialed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant for a consultation. This consultation, which is often covered by insurance for all types of illnesses, is used to assess your suitability for HBOT, check there are no contraindications, and develop a protocol that is most appropriate for your condition in order to achieve your health goals. This appointment will last approximately one hour.

During this time, your consulting provider will also explain how hyperbaric oxygen therapy works to heal the body, as well as provide you an orientation on what you’ll need before starting treatments and the daily procedure of getting ready for each session. Finally, prospective insurance coverage and/or any expenses associated with your care will be discussed. 

If you’re going for it, we wish you all the best!