Pronounced: hi-purr-BEAR-ick ox-a-jen the-ra-pee
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing 100% oxygen in a sealed chamber. This concentration is 5 times higher than the normal air we breathe. The chamber is also pressurized to create 1.5 to 3 times normal atmospheric pressure. These changes can improve blood circulation and the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen to the body.
This procedure has been used to treat many health problems, including:
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Problems from the procedure are rare, but all procedures have some risk. Your doctor will review potential problems, like:
You will lie down on a padded table, which slides into a tube. This is called a single-person chamber. In some cases, the chamber may be large, holding more than a dozen people.
A technician will gradually pressurize the chamber with 100% oxygen. You will be able to talk to this person. While in the chamber, you will be instructed to:
If you are at high risk for oxygen toxicity, you may be allowed to breathe regular air for brief periods.
Over a period of several minutes, the technician will slowly depressurize the chamber. You will likely have some ear popping and feel light-headed and tired. However, you should be able to go back to your daily activities. You may have more than one session over a period of several days.
½ hour to 2 hours
You will not have any pain. Your ears may feel full.
Unless you have another medical condition, you will be able to go home after HBOT.
In most cases, there is no special care after treatment.
It is important to monitor your recovery. Alert your doctor to any problems. If any of the following occur, call your doctor:
If you think you have an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.
Divers Alert Network
https://www.diversalertnetwork.org
Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society
https://www.uhms.org
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: A guide for patients and providers. University of Iowa Health Care website. Available at: https://uihc.org/health-library/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-guide-patients-and-providers. Accessed December 21, 2017.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for wound healing. Johns Hopkins Medicine website. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/neurological/hyperbaric_oxygen_therapy_for_wound_healing_135,44. Accessed December 21, 2017.
Recompression therapy. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/injuries-poisoning/injury-during-diving-or-work-in-compressed-air/recompression-therapy. Updated July 2017. Accessed December 21, 2017.
Last reviewed November 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Marcin Chwistek, MD Last Updated: 12/20/2014
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