On and on and on it goes
The world it just keeps spinning
Until I’m dizzy, time to breathe
So close my eyes and start again anew.
So I had the idea to research hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) because so many people were writing about it on social media sites as a way to improve the disorders, memory, and disabilities. There were personal accounts of people who tried it with success.
Specifically, because a lack of oxygen in the brain is associated with stroke, a growing number of doctors, albeit a small number, believe that a way to treat stroke is by flooding the brain with oxygen. Thus, HBOT.
The esteemed Mayo Clinic writes, “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy typically is performed as an outpatient procedure and does not require hospitalization. If you’re already hospitalized and require hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you’ll remain in the hospital during a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session. Alternately, you may be transported to and from the hospital to a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session if the procedure is performed at an outside facility.
“Depending on the type of medical institution you go to and the reason you require treatment, you may receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy in one of two settings:
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A unit designed for one person. In an individual (monoplace) unit, you lie down on a padded table that slides into a clear plastic tube about 7 feet long.
- A room designed to accommodate several people. In a multiperson hyperbaric oxygen room — which usually looks like a hospital waiting room inside — you may sit or lie down. A lightweight, clear hood may be placed over your head to deliver the oxygen to you, or you may wear a mask over your face to receive the oxygen.”
The hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the air pressure in the room is approximately to two or three times normal air pressure, creating a feeling of stuffiness in your ears, comparable to what you might experience in a plane on ascent or descent.
HBOT may last from one to two hours with a technician monitoring you and the therapy unit during treatment.
Lightheaded-ness after the treatment is not uncommon. Usually, the feeling disbands within a few minutes.
The Mayo Clinic uses HBOT for:
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Bubbles of air in your blood vessels (arterial gas embolism)
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Decompression sickness
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Carbon monoxide poisoning
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A wound that won’t heal
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A crushing injury
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Gangrene
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Skin or bone infection that causes tissue death
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Radiation injuries
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Burns
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Skin grafts or skin flaps at risk of tissue death
- Severe anemia
But, says the Mayo Clinic, “more research regarding hyperbaric oxygen therapy is under way,” so there’s insufficient scientific evidence to support claims that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can effectively treat the following conditions:
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Allergies
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Arthritis
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Autism
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Cancer
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Cerebral palsy
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Chronic fatigue syndrome
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Cirrhosis
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Fibromyalgia
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Gastrointestinal ulcer
- Stroke
In a clinical trial, including 56 participants who had been traumatized by TBIs and were still encountering headaches, concentration problems, other cognitive disabilities, the patients’ symptoms were ongoing before HBOT.
The participants were divided into two groups in random fashion. One group had the benefit of HBOT treatment for two months while the other, known as the control group, was not given HBOT at all. The patients’ brain activity was then assessed by computerized scans and compared with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans.
“What makes the results even more persuasive is the remarkable agreement between the cognitive function restoration and the changes in brain functionality as detected by the SPECT scans,” said Ben-Jacob. “The results demonstrate that neuroplasticity can be activated for months and years after acute brain injury.” (See my blog on neuroplasticity in http://stroketales.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-to-change-your-own-mind-literally.html)
“But most important, patients experienced improvements such as memory restoration and renewed use of language,” Dr. Efrati noted. “These changes can make a world of difference in daily life, helping patients regain their independence, go to work, and integrate back into society. This is where HBOT treatment can help,” said Dr. Efrati.
It all started to make sense. Elevated oxygen levels during treatment would supply the energy for aiding the healing process.
Whether you like Israel or not, the country is progressive. The Israelis knew that marijuana was good for some illnesses causing pain and seizures before we knew about it. (Or before I knew about it). Also, the Israelis discovered:
- digitized mammography which shows sub-millimeter details
- 3-D mapping in the diagnosis of heart conditions
- combined electro-optical laser and conventional optical instrument for the diagnosis of ocular pathologies
- a laboratory appliance that can sort chromosomes, cells or tissues by colors, thus designating genetic abnormalities
- diagnostic equipment for sleep disturbances
Good stuff. Good for them. Good for us. L’chaim.
thanks
There is the Adeli Centre in Slovakia. They offer oxygen therapy for stroke survivors. http://en.adeli-center.com/
I'm trying to get a friend in hyperbaric oxygen chambers as he just had a stroke. Did you find a hyperbaric oxygen chamber center?
thanks! Joe
very,very interesting, thank you