Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Safe?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is not a new treatment, yet it’s only in the last few years that it’s become widely accepted by medical professionals.

The treatment utilizes an enclosed total body chamber where the atmospheric pressure can be closely controlled. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy relies on increasing this pressure to greater than sea level atmospheric pressure to provide 100% oxygen to the body.

The effectiveness of the treatment is due to breathing in this 100% oxygen. This pure, clean oxygen improves the body’s natural healing processes.

Though it doesn’t treat health issues on its own, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has proven remarkably successful when used as one component of an overall medical care plan.

What Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treat? 

The benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are numerous. Thanks to several different chamber designs, a variety of medical conditions can be treated.

Chief among these are health conditions that can be improved with increased oxygen in the tissues. These include carbon monoxide poisoning, crush injury, decompression sickness (bends), anemia, gangrene, thermal burns and more.

Other medical conditions Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has been used to treat, though its results are less conclusive, include autism, cerebral palsy, migraine, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy simply provides more oxygen to the body to improve its natural healing processes. In short, it allows the body to heal itself and associated injuries faster and more effectively.

Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Safe?

There are inherent risks for any medical treatment or procedure. Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment is no different, yet it’s considered very safe with few complications.

The most common complication includes barotrauma to the ears. The increased air pressure can cause leaking fluid and eardrum rupture. Other potential risks include temporary nearsightedness, lung collapse and seizures.

Your medical professional will lay out the risks and assess your susceptibility to them when you’re considering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

The Next Step 

There are dozens of reasons to consider Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. To learn more about how this safe and effective treatment can benefit your medical condition, please call DFW Wound Care Center for more information.