The Healing Power of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

What is HBOT?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurised environment. It has been used for over a century to treat various medical conditions such as decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and non-healing wounds. Recently, it has gained popularity as an alternative therapy for chronic conditions such as autoimmune disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and chronic wounds.

 

Understanding the Mechanisms of Action for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

The amount of pressure used during HBOT can vary depending on the condition being treated. The pressure is measured in atmospheres absolute (ATA), which is a unit that indicates the pressure relative to the normal atmospheric pressure at sea level (1 ATA). In some cases, a pressure of 2.0 to 3.0 ATA is used, while in others, a pressure of 1.3 to 1.5 ATA is sufficient. The duration of the treatment can also vary, typically ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

At a pressure of 1.4 ATA, the concentration of oxygen in the chamber is approximately 30%. This level of oxygen is higher than what is typically found in normal air (21% oxygen) – the increased pressure in the chamber allows more oxygen to dissolve in the plasma and saturate tissue fluids, delivering more oxygen to the body’s tissues.

 

How Does HBOT Improve Healing in Chronic Conditions?

HBOT improves healing by increasing the amount of oxygen that is delivered to the body’s tissues. Oxygen is essential for the body’s metabolic processes and is required for the production of energy, growth, and repair. In chronic conditions, the body’s tissues may not receive enough oxygen, impairing their ability to heal. HBOT helps increase the amount of oxygen delivered to these tissues, promoting healing and regeneration.

 

Understanding the Effects of HBOT on Oxidative Stress & Mitochondrial Activity 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been found to have potential benefits beyond the treatment of medical conditions. HBOT may also have anti-aging and energy restorative activity and benefit athletic recovery due to its effect on oxidative stress and mitochondrial activity. Prolonged treatments have been found to be more beneficial, and intermittent HBOT fluctuations can induce the hormetic preconditioning effect, which increases the transcription of oxidative stress scavenger factors and subsequent production of antioxidant enzymes. As mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are associated with many diseases, the elevation of antioxidant activity may be a significant pathway underlying HBOT’s potential benefits in anti-aging, energy health, and athletic recovery. At our clinic, we offer HBOT as a safe and effective therapy option for those seeking these potential benefits.

 

The Anti-Bacterial effect of HBOT

HBOT has been shown to have a bactericidal effect on various microorganisms, including anaerobic bacteria, which can live and grow without oxygen. A study published in the Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy showed that HBOT significantly reduced the growth of anaerobic bacteria, which are known to cause infections in humans. The researchers suggested that HBOT could be used as an adjunctive therapy to antibiotics to treat anaerobic infections. HBOT has also been found to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics. Additionally, researchers found that HBOT improved the bactericidal activity of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that can cause infections in the lungs, urinary tract, and other parts of the body. The researchers suggested that HBOT could be used to improve the efficacy of antibiotic treatment in patients with P. aeruginosa infections.

 

The Science Behind HBOT’s Healing Power

HBOT works by increasing the pressure in the body, which allows more oxygen to dissolve in the blood. When the body is under pressure, the amount of oxygen that can be dissolved in the blood increases, which means that more oxygen can be delivered to the body’s tissues. The increased pressure also helps reduce inflammation, a key factor in many chronic conditions.

HBOT has also been shown to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. New blood vessels are essential for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the body’s tissues and for removing waste products. By promoting new blood vessels’ growth, HBOT helps improve the body’s ability to heal.

Clinical Studies on the Effectiveness of HBOT There have been numerous clinical studies that have investigated the effectiveness of HBOT in a variety of medical conditions. For example, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that HBOT improved the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. Another study published in the Journal of Trauma found that HBOT improved the survival rate of patients with severe traumatic brain injuries.

In addition, HBOT has been shown to be effective in treating conditions such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. A study published in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases found that HBOT improved the symptoms of Crohn’s disease in patients who did not respond to traditional treatments.

 

Conclusion

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a safe and effective medical treatment that can be used to kill bacteria and improve healing in chronic conditions. The therapy works by increasing the amount of oxygen that dissolves in the plasma and tissue fluids, which enhances the oxygen supply to damaged tissues, stimulates blood vessel growth, and promotes tissue repair. HBOT has been shown to have a bactericidal effect on various microorganisms, including anaerobic bacteria, and to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics. HBOT has also been shown to improve healing in chronic conditions by promoting tissue repair and regeneration. This therapy has been used for decades to treat various medical conditions, including chronic wounds, infections, and radiation injuries. With more research being conducted, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may become a more common treatment option for various medical conditions.

References:

• Dauwe, P. B., Pulikkottil, B. J., Lavery, L., Stuzin, J. M., & Rohrich, R. J. (2014). Does hyperbaric oxygen therapy work in facilitating acute wound healing: a systematic review. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 133(2), 208e-215e.

• Eggleton, P., Bishop, A. J., & Smerdon, G. R. (2015). Safety and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in chronic wound management: current evidence. Chronic Wound Care Management and Research, 81-93.

• Hajhosseini, B., Kuehlmann, B. A., Bonham, C. A., Kamperman, K. J., & Gurtner, G. C. (2020). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: descriptive review of the technology and current application in chronic wounds. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, 8(9).

• Hasan, B., Yim, Y., Ur Rashid, M., Khalid, R. A., Sarvepalli, D., Castaneda, D., … & Shen, B. (2021). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in chronic inflammatory conditions of the pouch. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 27(7), 965-970.

• Hu, Q., Liang, X., Chen, D., Chen, Y., Doycheva, D., Tang, J., … & Zhang, J. H. (2014). Delayed hyperbaric oxygen therapy promotes neurogenesis through reactive oxygen species/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/β-catenin pathway in middle cerebral artery occlusion rats. Stroke, 45(6), 1807-1814.

• Kirby, J. P., Snyder, J., Schuerer, D. J., Peters, J. S., & Bochicchio, G. V. (2019). Essentials of hyperbaric oxygen therapy: 2019 review. Missouri medicine, 116(3), 176.

• Tahir, A. R. M., Westhuyzen, J., Dass, J., Collins, M. K., Webb, R., Hewitt, S., … & McKay, M. (2015). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for chronic radiation‐induced tissue injuries: Australasia’s largest study. Asia‐Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, 11(1), 68-77.

• Memar, M. Y., Yekani, M., Alizadeh, N., & Baghi, H. B. (2019). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Antimicrobial mechanisms and clinical application for infections. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 109, 440-447.
  
  

• Schottlender, N., Gottfried, I., & Ashery, U. (2021). Hyperbaric oxygen treatment: Effects on Mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. Biomolecules, 11(12), 1827.