What and How is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Done?

Hyperbaric Oxygen TherapyHyperbaric Oxygen treatments falls into the hyperbaric medicine category. This treatment consists of using oxygen that is higher than the pressure in the atmosphere. This produces more oxygen for the body to use for the condition that it is being used for. It is also used for therapeutic re-compression. This means it is used to increase the ambient pressure in an individual that is in need of this treatment. A common condition that would demand this form of treatment would be a diver for example, that is suffering from decompression sickness. Or, it can also be used when there is a air embolism that has to be eliminated from the body.

This treatment is carried out in a specialized room or a hyperbaric chamber. It requires a specialized team to operate them and they are usually found in some hospitals and some facilities that are especially dedicated to this type of treatment.

It can be a little frightening for the individual that is going through this treatment as they may have to go into the chamber on their own because of the amount of oxygen that is being admitted into the room or chamber. However, there is a microphone available for easy communication.

There are actually home units that can be purchased that come in several different sizes and these are usually called mild personal hyperbaric chambers. These have a lower pressure compared to the hard chambers or soft sided chambers used in the medical facilities.

The individual being subjected to the treatment is exposed to an air pressure that is increased to three times higher than what the average pressure they are exposed to would be. The purpose for this is so the lungs can gather more oxygen that is not possible in normal conditions. The increase of this oxygen is carried throughout the body to fight the specific ailment that the oxygen treatment is being used for.