Brief History Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:

• In 1662, British Physician and Clergyman Henshaw first used compressed air in an attempt to treat pulmonary disease. His first chamber was called the “Domicilium” Chamber pressure was either raised or lowered with organ bellows.
• Illness from pressure change was first recorded in late 1600’s by physicist and chemist, Robert Boyle.
• British chemist, Joseph Priestly studied the “Goodness of Air.” He found that plants produced this previously undefined gas which animals consumed (Oxygen).
• French Surgeon Fontaine. In 1879, over 20 surgical procedures were preformed in his unit. Deep Surgical anesthesia was possible because of its increased effective percentage accompanied by a higher oxygen partial pressure which rendered it safer.
• In 1845, French mining engineer, Triger, described pressure related limb pain, and paralysis in French caisson laborers.
• In 1878, French Physiologist Paul Bert determined the connection between nitrogen bubbles and decompression sickness. He made several key gas discoveries, Including Central Nervous System Oxygen Toxicity from High Pressure.
• By 1878, Paul Bert had determined the connection between bends and nitrogen bubbles and showed that pain could be reversed with recompression.
• In 1908, Haldane published their work along with three sets of tables of time and depth schedules. Most dive tables and computers are currently based on these concepts.
• In 1928, Cummingham built a 64 foot steel hyperbaric ball with five floors in Cleveland. Later it was scraped for metal during World War II.
• In 1934, US Naval Submarie Officer, Dr. Albert Behnke proposed using oxygen plus recompression for Decompression Sickness, DCS, which was ignored until 1967.
• Later in the 1930’s, Dr Edgar End noticed that draft horses working for months in the construction tunnels at pressure died when they were decompressed.
• In Amsterdam Holland, in 1955, Dutch thoracic surgeon, Dr. Boerma removed the red blood cells from pigs and found they could survive with oxygen dissolved in plasma by use of hyperbaric Oxygen. Dr Boerma had a large operating room-in-a chamber built at the University of Amsterdam.
• In 1961 Dr. Brummelkamp, University of Amsterdam, Published on the ability of hyperbaric oxygen to inhibit anaerobes - organisms that live where there is low or no oxygen, like gangrene.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a method of administering pure oxygen at greater than atmospheric pressure to a patient in order to improve or correct conditions. Providing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber we are able to deliver 10-15 times more oxygen then if delivered at sea level or at normal atmospheric levels.

Why does HBOT help speed the Healing Process?

Nature has dictated that healing cannot take place without appropriate oxygen levels in the body’s tissues. In many cases, such as those involving circulatory problems, Strokes, anoxic brain injury, and near drowning just to name a few, adequate oxygen cannot reach the damaged area and therefore the body’s natural healing process fails to function properly.Oxygen given with increased pressure can correct many serious health problems. To provide this increased pressure one must be within a pressurized room, a Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber. Oxygen, given at normal atmospheric pressure is insufficient to raise tissue oxygen levels. The answer is to deliver oxygen with a slight increase in pressure with a chamber to raise the oxygen tension above the normal red blood cell saturation.

Why is Oxygen so Important?

Oxygen is a colorless, odorless gas that makes up about 21 percent of the atmosphere. It is essential to life for two reasons:

• Oxygen is one of the body’s basic building blocks. All of the body’s major components, water, protein, carbohydrate, and fat contain oxygen.
• Oxygen helps bring about certain chemical reactions within the body that result in energy production. Energy is needed for functions such as circulation, respiration, and digestion. Energy is also used to maintain a constant body temperature.

If the body is totally deprived of Oxygen, death results within minutes. A diminished supply of oxygen causes multiple symptoms, some of which are mental disturbances, shortness of breath, and rapid pulse, a fall in blood pressure and cyanosis, a blueness of the skin and mucous membranes. This results in a marked reduction in all bodily functions. This condition is known as hypoxia, or under-oxygenation of the tissues.

How does HBOT force more Oxygen into the bloodstream and tissues?

Blood is made up of three main components: white cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and plasma, the fluid that carries both kinds of cells throughout the body. Under normal circumstances, only the red blood cells carry oxygen. However, because HBOT forces oxygen into the body under pressure, Oxygen dissolves into all of the body’s fluids, including the plasma, the Lymph, the cerebrospinal fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord. These fluids can carry the extra oxygen even to areas where circulation is poor or blocked, either by trickling past the blockages or by seeping into the affected area.

This extra oxygen helps in the healing process and enhances the white blood cells’ ability to fight infection. It can promote the development of New Capillaries, the tiny blood vessels that connect arteries to veins. It also helps the body build new connective tissue. In addition, HBOT helps the organs function in a normal manner.

As we age, we can lose vital lung capacity and the ability to effectively obtain adequate Oxygen. Some disease conditions impair oxygen utilization. In addition, with injuries or conditions where there is swelling or edema, this causes pressure within the tissue, which cuts off circulation flow. For years, conventional medicine thought of HBOT only as a treatment for decompression sickness........

However, this is about to change the scope of medicine as never before. The Use of HBOT is becoming increasingly common in general practice as more doctors become acquainted with new applications. Doctors now realize that HBOT has other uses, including the treatment of non-healing wounds, Carbon Monoxide poisoning, various infections, damage caused by radiation treatments, near- drowning, near-hanging, brain and nerve disorders, cardiovascular disorders; and some digestive system disorders.It is important to realize that, in most cases, HBOT is best used when combined with other treatments such as physical therapy and or surgery.

In the USA, the situation stands in marked contrast with many other countries, where HBOT is used for a much wider range of conditions. Multiple Sclerosis patients have banded together in Britain to create their own network of Hyperbaric Chambers. Centers in China treat more than 100,000 patients each year for a multitude of medical conditions.

Hyperbaric Oxygen is very cost effective.

· HBOT is noninvasive.
· HBOT is safe.
· HBOT works well with other treatments.

More Research is needed in the area of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, however, more than this is the need for an educated public that demands access to this safe, noninvasive therapy.

Strictly Not To Wear:

Lipstick Make-up Watches Hair Oil Nylons Hearing Aids Hair Spray Synthetic Clothings Hard Contact Lenses Ointments Jewelry Nail Polish

Prohibited Items:

Cigarettes Lighter Chemical Warmer Knitting Newsprint* Certain foods

Any Precaution?

• Smoking, alcohol and chronic coffee consumption decrease the amount of oxygen that can be transported by the circulatory system. It is strongly recommended that clients do not smoke during the course of their hyperbaric oxygen treatments. If the patient cannot stop a period of two hours before and two hours after treatment must be tobacco free.
• Good nutrition is important for healing. Increase antioxidant levels (vitamin E) and reduce or eliminate processed food consumption.
• Please discuss your medications with your family physician. Some medications are contra-indicated during hyperbaric oxygen therapy. If medication is necessary during your treatment, please bring them with you so that you can take them at the correct time. Diabetics may need something sweet to maintain blood sugar levels during or just after treatment. HBO may reduce the need for anticoagulants. If you become ill with a cold, flu, or have sinus problems, you may not be able to clear your ears or your sinuses may cause pain during the pressure changes in the chamber. Please call the center at (+603-4043 2510/+603-4043 2523) and discuss with the Hyperbaric Staff whether you should cancel your treatments until you are feeling better.

 

Links

The original Montreal CP study. The U.S. army CP study. An Italian RSD/CRPS study. Hyperbaric oxygen for perianal Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease and HBO: Is there a link? Childhood epilepsy-autism from China An Italian study on M.S. An Italian study on cluster headaches. Infant Respiratory Disorders. Diabetic Lower Extremity Wounds. Heart Disease. Oxygen the New Growth Factor. An Israeli study on Femoral Head Necrosis.  Anti-aging by Dr. Neubauer and Dr. Yutsis. Necrotizing Fasciitis. Osteoporosis in post menopausal women. Pulmonary Toxicity. Reperfusion Injury. Diet. Fungal Infections. CP letter by Dr. Marois. ARMS long term MS study. Mild hyperbarics for impaired brain function. Dr. Harch SPECT scans.