Has your doctor recommended seeing a specialist who uses something called a hyperbaric chamber for stroke victims like you? This probably has you wondering what hyperbaric medicine is and whether or not it will really work, right?
Don’t worry. In this article, we will put your worries to rest and explain what you need to know about hyperbaric treatments, so keep reading to find out more.
What is Hyperbaric Medicine?
Hyperbaric treatment, known officially as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), is a method of treatment that originated in 1662 but wasn’t popularly used until the early 2000s. It wasn’t until hyperbaric medicine became its own field of study that it could be properly utilized for victims of 14 different ailments. Some of these ailments include,
● Decompression sickness
● Diabetic wounds & other non-healing Wounds
● Thermal burns
● Strokes
● Post-stroke paralysis
● Hearing issues
● Pneumatosis cystoides (gaseous cysts)
How Do Hyperbaric Treatments for Strokes Work?
When you go into the medical facility to receive HBOT, you will either have a dome placed over your head or lie down in a chamber. In either case, the ambient pressure in your dome or tube will become higher than the atmospheric pressure outside the contraption and pure oxygen will be pumped inside.
The process takes 60-90 minutes. In that span of time, as your body breaths in, your wounded brain is able to absorb pure oxygen. Normally, a brain consumes 20% of the oxygen we breathe to keep us functioning, but after a stroke, the brain requires a much higher percentage as it works to reform new connections. This work is called neuroplasticity.
When you exercise a muscle it takes oxygen to perform cellular respiration, allowing the muscle to perform the function you want. The new connections will be made by your hard work at repeating everyday motions like walking and gripping objects, but the rate of recovery and prevention of overexerting your brain is determined by how much oxygen your brain receives throughout this healing process.
Are HBOT Treatments Effective Against Strokes?
HBOT has proven to be very effective for stroke recovery patients. A trial in 2013 showed promising results that using a hyperbaric chamber for strokes induces late neuroplasticity even in chronic late stages of strokes.
Then, in 2019, another study showed the effectiveness of hyperbaric treatments as a preconditioning treatment for people with inflammation of the brain through mitochondrial transfers.
Strokes are also the result of not enough oxygen reaching the brain because of obstructions or broken vessels. So, in addition to being a hyperbaric treatment for strokes, HBOT may also be a preventative measure in addition to a balanced diet and good exercise.
The best part of HBOT is it doesn’t matter how long ago your stroke was. True, the best results with oxygen therapy for strokes will be achieved the sooner you receive the treatment, but even after many years, you can see improvements.
Conclusion
Hyperbaric treatment can be effective in both prevention and treatment for strokes and has plenty of time to improve and obtain more studies. You can usually find a medical facility that strictly performs oxygen therapy, such as Obispo Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Avila Beach, CA.
