Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a treatment used for the revitalization of blood by increasing blood oxygen levels. Individuals being treated enter a pressurized chamber where they breathe in 90-95% oxygen. This forces oxygen into the plasma in the blood where it facilitates natural healing, pain reduction, anti-inflammation, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and stem cell generation. HBOT is being used around the world to extend and improve quality of life. Increased blood oxygen levels augment the treatment of disease, infection, and injury and foster overall bodily wellness.
Newly Redefined
In 2022, the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) redefined HBO Therapy used in Hyperbaric Medicine as follows: “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is the treatment of a disease or medical condition by the inhalation of near-100% (at least 95%) medical grade oxygen at pressures greater than 1.0 atmosphere absolute (ATA).”
Over 1400 published studies on pubmed.org have demonstrated the medical evidence to support HBOT therapy. But there has been 40 years of confusion about what pressure is needed in a HBOT chamber for it to be clinically effective. Pressures range from 3.0 ATA in hard chambers to 1.0 ATA in soft HBOT chambers. HBOT has been shown to be effective throughout the range of pressure, hence the change from UHMS.
Utah Sports and Wellness use a mild HBOT chamber which adheres to the medical standard, administering pure oxygen at 1.3 ATA (absolute atmospheres). We’ve been using chambers since 2009 and have seen it assist in the wellness and recovery of many of our patients.
The Benefits of HBOT
The employment of HBOT has both physical and psychological benefits, and the positive results of increased oxygen levels in blood plasma during healing are well documented. More plasma-bound oxygen is associated with minimized inflammation, reduced pain, facilitated protein synthesis, and accelerated stem cell generation.
In the event of serious wounds or burns, HBOT floods the affected area with oxygen, fueling the body’s natural healing processes. The treatment has an abundance of evidence in favor of its effectiveness in wound treatment and accelerating recovery times after injury. In addition to facilitating physical healing, the therapy can also assist in treating wounds of a less physical nature.
The brain is a delicate organ, and injuries to the brain as well as mental health conditions can be challenging to understand and even more challenging to treat. Recent research has led to a breakthrough in understanding the mechanism of healing from trauma and how HBOT can expedite the healing process. One such study focused on incidents of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans returning home. While brain scans before HBOT treatment were significantly abnormal before treatment, post-treatment scans were indistinguishable from the controls without PTSD. After HBOT treatment, the number of assessed patients who qualified for diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder was cut in half, and the data indicated a significant reduction in suicidal ideation and anxiety.
These findings are very likely linked to the fact that increased blood-oxygen levels promote accelerated neurogenesis and angiogenesis, allowing the brain to patch itself up. We find the results of this study highly encouraging, and we look forward to how HBOT will be used not just for purely physical healing but also for the healing of injured minds. After all, we support holistic wellness for all our patients.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Near Millcreek, UT
At Utah Sports and Wellness, we are eager to employ all the strategies available for the complete treatment of our patients. We support HBOT’s accelerated healing means, and we stand with the abundance of information that indicates plasma-bound oxygen’s role in accelerating the body’s natural ability to heal. If you have a condition that can be served by Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, we can help.