The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved the use of hbot for several conditions including decompression sickness from diving, carbon monoxide poisoning, nonhealing wounds and certain skin infections. However, research has shown that HBOT also treats many other conditions, such as a type of hearing loss, and may reduce the need for amputation in diabetic foot ulcers. These off-label uses of HBOT are often covered by health insurance or Medicare.
The treatment involves a patient resting in a chamber that is pressurized to 2-3 times normal atmospheric pressure. This drives oxygen into the bloodstream and to tissues that need more than normal oxygen supply. HBOT has been shown to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels and increase blood flow. This increases the delivery of oxygen to injured cells and helps heal damaged tissue.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Unveiling the Healing Potential of Oxygen Under Pressure
HBOT has been shown to induce a variety of molecular and cellular pathways important for reducing oxidative stress and neuronal damage. It increases natural antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione, and it inhibits the expression of inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) and NFkB. It has also been shown to prevent hippocampal cell death in an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model, and it improves cognitive functions in AD patients.
A recent study found that HBOT significantly improved spatial working memory performance in healthy young adults, whereas it did not in controls. Additionally, HBOT was shown to reduce the reduced brain glucose metabolism observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Moreover, it restored angiogenesis and neuronal growth and ameliorated impaired CBF in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model.