The Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

The body needs oxygen in order to heal, and many injuries or conditions occur because there isn’t enough oxygen within the blood to jumpstart the body's natural healing processes. When nutrient and oxygen-rich blood is unable to reach certain areas of the body, healing cannot happen. This is where hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, can help.

HBOT is a treatment that delivers oxygen to tissue to activate and speed up the body’s natural healing processes. HBOT can also reduce inflammation, promote the growth of new blood vessels, boost the immune system (by increasing white cell count) and eliminate bacteria within the body. While the air we breathe only has around 21 percent oxygen, hyperbaric oxygen therapy administers anywhere from 200-240 percent oxygen.

This treatment is often used to address certain potentially severe medical conditions including

•  Severe anemia
•  Burns
•  Decompression sickness (a condition that affects scuba divers; also referred to as “the bends”)
•  Osteomyelitis
•  Tissues damaged by radiation therapy
•  Carbon monoxide poisoning
•  Wound healing and care (often for diabetic patients)
•  Skin or bone infections that result in necrotic tissue (e.g. gangrene)
•  Failing skin grafts

HBOT is performed as a non-invasive outpatient procedure. The patient will lie down on a table that will slide into a clear tube. The treatment usually takes anywhere from 90-120 minutes per session, and patients will need to undergo multiple sessions (the number of sessions is something that we can determine when you come in for an evaluation. Those with more serious conditions will often require more hyperbaric chamber sessions).

With each session, oxygen will help new blood vessels to form within the tissue, which can speed up the healing process significantly as compared to those who do not undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The treatment is comfortable and painless.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy allows Dr. Chan and her team to provide an effective wound treatment therapy that is safe, non-invasive and incredibly effective. This can also provide relief to patients dealing with serious and threatening conditions.

To learn more about hyperbaric oxygen therapy call Marin Natural Medicine Center at (415) 945-3213 or Advanced Hyperbaric Recovery of Marin at (415) 785-8652 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Chan.