Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Essentially, hyperbaric oxygen treatments use a combination of elevated ambient pressure and inspired oxygen concentration to greatly increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. This elevated oxygen concentration allows oxygenation of tissues that are not getting enough oxygen at baseline, encourages new blood vessels to grow into these oxygen-deprived tissues.

Each patient's experience will be somewhat different, but in general, the following events will occur:

1. You will be seen by the physician who will perform a history and physical. He or she will determine if hyperbaric treatments are appropriate for you, order any necessary tests, and discuss the treatment options.

There are several stages during a typical treatment:

1. The first stage is compression in which the chamber is pressurized to the prescribed pressure. This pressure will be different depending on the condition. Our machine goes up to 2 ATA (33 feet of seawater).
   1. During this phase, patients can feel pressure in the ears. If there is any trouble clearing the ears, the patient has full control internally to slow down the pressurization process.
2. Given that our chamber is a multiplace chamber, it is pressurized with air and the person breathes in up to 100% oxygen through a mask or hood.
3. The chamber is maintained at the prescribed pressure while the patient breathes the oxygen through the mask or hood.
4. After the oxygen period is finished, the chamber is depressurized, and the treatment is finished.

The duration of an HBOT session can vary depending on the condition being treated. Typically, sessions last about 60-120 minutes.

This depends on the condition being treated. For example, a pre-surgical optimization program may include daily sessions for 3-5 days immediately prior to surgery, while other wellness or biohacking programs may include up to 40 sessions spread out a few times a week taking a few months to complete.

Insurance coverage for HBOT depends on the condition being treated and the specific health insurance policy. There are some “on label” conditions that do have coverage. But the above noted “off label” conditions do not currently have insurance coverage.

The cost for HBOT sessions:

• 60 minutes up to 2 ATA is $150/session
• 90 minutes up to 2 ATA is $200/session
• There are discounts for those that purchase multi-session packages or when combined with other services.

Contraindications to HBOT:

• Absolute contraindication:
  • Untreated pneumothorax
• Relative contraindication:
  • Concurrent HBOT and certain chemotherapy drugs
    • Doxorubicin, Bleomycin, Disulfiram, Mafenide
  • COPD: (May need x-ray)
  • Asthma: Uncontrolled
  • Implanted devices: Check with the manufacturer
  • Epidural pain pumps
  • Pregnancy
  • Epilepsy if uncontrolled
  • Inability to equalize ears or sinus pressure
  • Recent Eye surgery
  • Recent thoracic surgery
  • Current upper respiratory illness
  • Insulin-dependent diabetes: Blood glucose needs to be monitored as HBOT can cause hypoglycemia
  • History of Tuberculosis

1. Ear and Sinus Problems: Due to the increased air pressure, patients might experience ear pain or a feeling of fullness in the ears. In rare cases, this can lead to ear drum rupture. Sinus pain can also occur. Precautions like ear clearing techniques can help reduce this risk. In our chamber, the patient also has the ability to control the pressurization if starts to feel pressure in the ears. A push of a button slows down the pressurization to allow more time for the person to acclimate to the increasing pressure.
2. Temporary Vision Changes: Some patients may experience changes in vision during their treatment course. These changes are usually temporary and resolve after the treatment is completed. For those with cataracts, HBOT has the potential to mature the cataracts which can make them worse. It is important to bring up history of cataracts prior to moving forward with HBOT.
3. Claustrophobia: The enclosed space of the chamber can trigger claustrophobia in some individuals. Our multiplace chamber reduces the feeling of claustrophobia due to the larger size. Patients also can feel more at ease given the internal controls if needed to exit the chamber due to claustrophobia.
4. Oxygen Toxicity: While rare (<1%) , prolonged exposure to high levels of oxygen can lead to oxygen toxicity, affecting the lungs and central nervous system. There are two types of oxygen toxicity: central and pulmonary. The pressure and duration of treatment has influence on the risk of toxicity. HBOT protocols are designed to minimize these risks by controlling the duration of exposure and the concentration of oxygen used.
   1. Central Nervous System Oxygen Toxicity: CNS oxygen toxicity occurs when a high concentration of oxygen is absorbed by the central nervous system. This can lead to symptoms such as visual disturbances (like tunnel vision), ear ringing, nausea, twitching (especially facial twitching), irritability, dizziness, and in severe cases, seizures. CNS toxicity is more likely to occur during HBOT due to the high levels of oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure. The risk increases with longer exposure times and higher oxygen pressures.
   2. Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity: Pulmonary oxygen toxicity impacts the lungs and is associated with prolonged exposure to high concentrations of oxygen. It can cause symptoms like a mild cough, chest pain (under the breastbone), and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, it can lead to lung damage, characterized by inflammation and scarring of lung tissue (fibrosis). This form of oxygen toxicity is more gradual and typically occurs after prolonged periods of exposure to elevated oxygen levels, such as those encountered in HBOT at high pressures and long durations. Not typically seen in treatment pressure of 2ATA or less or 60–90-minute sessions.
5. Pulmonary Barotrauma: This is a risk if air pockets exist in the body, potentially leading to collapsed lungs. This is very rare at pressures of 1.5 to 2 ATA.
6. Low Blood Sugar: Diabetic patients may experience a drop in blood sugar levels during treatment.
7. Fatigue and Headaches: These are relatively common but typically mild side effects, often resolving soon after the treatment.

You should not fly for 24 hours after an HBOT session.

It depends. Most people will not need to use antioxidants. There are some that may be sensitive to the oxidation caused by the increased oxygen supplied to the body during HBOT treatment. If one feels extra fatigue or headaches that persist, then can pre-treat or post-treat with antioxidants 30 minutes prior to or after the HBOT session.

We will change every patient into a medical gown and paper shorts to sit in the chamber. Other options are light-colored cotton shirt and sweat pants or shorts.

The chamber is pressurized with air and the oxygen is delivered via a mask worn throughout the session. Each person will have their own mask.