The Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: What It Is + How It Works

Did you know that oxygen is incredibly healing to the body? The science and research on its benefits are deep. And one of the most impactful and effective ways to harness its healing powers is through Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). This is a therapy I prioritized during my cancer treatment and healing journey. I’m a huge proponent, and I want to dive into all the how-to’s and why’s below…

Pathogens, bacteria, and cancer thrive in low-oxygen environments, so the high-pressure oxygen this modality offers helps limit their growth. It can be helpful for various conditions, including chronic infection, cancer, bodily injury, bone disease, burns and other hard-to-heal wounds and more.

What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a healing therapy that takes place within a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. It floods the body with high concentrations of oxygen to treat a wide variety of conditions including sicknesses, infections, wound healing, nutrient deficiency, vascular problems and more.  

Our body’s tissues need enough oxygen to function, and when we are injured, we require even more oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps your body increase the amount of oxygen blood can carry to promote healing.

How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Work?

HBOT involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment, or a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The chamber’s air pressure is 2 to 3 times higher than normal air pressure. Pure oxygen is pumped through the chamber. In this environment, the lungs can gather more oxygen than just breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure.

This extra oxygen within the body goes through the tissues and ultimately reaches the cells.This is where the healing begins. Extra oxygen helps fight bacteria, initiate tissue repair, and trigger the release of growth factors and stem cells, which promote healing.

What Are the Health Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy? 

The benefit of HBOT cannot be understated. I can personally attest that its healing properties are massively powerful. As stated earlier, it promotes stem cells and growth factor release, which is beneficial for:

• Regenerating tissue, including in the brain
• Regenerating blood vessels
• Decreasing inflammation
• Fighting bacterial pathogens, cancer and other infections
• Increasing antioxidant activity
• Increasing energy

HBOT has been approved for more than a dozen conditions ranging from burns to bone disease. These include:

• Air or gas embolism (air bubbles in blood vessels)
• Acute thermal burn injury
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Carbon monoxide poisoning complicated by cyanide poisoning
• Central retinal artery occlusion
• Clostridial myositis and myonecrosis
• Compromised grafts and flaps
• Crash injury, compartment syndrome and other acute traumatic ischemia
• Decompression sickness
• Delayed radiation injury (soft tissue and bony necrosis)
• Enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds
• Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss
• Intracranial (brain) abscess
• Necrotizing soft tissue infections
• Refractory osteomyelitis
• Severe anemia

But the applications and validity of this therapy for conditions outside of those stated above are vast. Research is only continuing to emerge on this powerful healing modality. Personally, I have used this therapy to 1) fight cancer 2) heal after a concussion and 3) heal from multiple surgeries. 

Cancer, sickness, bacteria and pathogens thrive in hypoxic (aka low levels of oxygen) environments. When we flood those areas with oxygen, that’s when inflammation decreases, cancer cell replication is slowed or stopped, healthy cells thrive, and healing happens. 

How to Choose the Right Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber?

While HBOT isn’t incredibly common everywhere, you can definitely find some different options for undergoing this therapy. First, you may be able to find a wellness center or clinic that offers HBOT. This may involve pay-per-session or purchasing some kind of membership. Some hospitals can even offer this type of therapy to patients through a doctor. 

Because of how powerful this therapy is, I knew it was something I wanted to be able to do conveniently and consistently. In other words, I knew this was a therapy I wanted to do out of the comfort of my own home. 

I researched countless hyperbaric oxygen chambers on the market before finding the one I felt offered the most state-of-the-art healing power alongside being something I could afford and easily operate. I also wanted a chamber that was already widely used with excellent reviews. 

I chose to go with the Summit to Sea’s Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber for my own home during my brain cancer healing journey. I love the Shallow Dive model for so many reasons. It is spacious enough for comfortable treatment while being a manageable size to have in a home. I could not recommend this particular HBOT chamber more wholeheartedly.

Here are a few facts about this particular model:

• Ideal layout: 26″ in diameter and 84″ long makes it suitable for smaller spaces/homes while maintaining comfort during treatment. Includes a viewing window to stay connected to the outside while using the chamber.
• Top-notch performance: Get the most out of a session with 4.4 PSI – 1.3 ATA. Features one auxiliary valve, double vent system and redundant compressors (2) for added safety. Works on a standard 120V 15 AMP outlet.
• Easy entry and exit: Double-sided full-length zippers for hassle-free entry and exit. Zippers can be operated inside or outside of the chamber.
• Pure oxygen: In-line air filtration to ensure clean air throughout your treatment. 
• Convenient accessories: Easy-to-clean foam mat, carrying case and frame included for travel.
• I recommend hiring a handyman of your choice to assist with installation.

Whether you’re someone recovering from cancer, a bodily wound, a traumatic brain injury, a routine surgery or other, I hope you invest in your healing by experiencing the healing power of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It made such a difference for me on my own healing journey, and I know it can for you, too!

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