Hyperbaric (or high pressure) oxygen therapy (HBO) delivers a high dose of oxygen to patients in a pressurized chamber. This therapy offers distinct benefits and can be used to treat a variety of illnesses. It may be the primary treatment for some disorders, but it is often combined with antibiotics and surgery.

How it Works

Normally the air we breathe contains 21 percent oxygen. Patients who receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy breathe 100 percent oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This greatly increases the amount of oxygen delivered by your blood to body tissues. The benefits of this therapy result from an oxygen-enriched bloodstream (not from the oxygen’s direct contact with wounds). This is why wound dressings are usually left in place during treatment.

Benefits of HBO Therapy

• Enhanced wound healing
• Increased oxygen delivery to injured tissue
• Improved infection control
• Greater blood vessel formation
• Preservation of damaged tissues
• Reduced effects of toxic substances
• Reduction or elimination of gas-bubble obstructions

What to Expect

Hyperbaric oxygen treatments occur while you lie comfortably in the chamber. Generally, you’ll feel no differently than if you were lying in your own bed. You can listen to music, watch TV or nap during the therapy. At certain points in the treatment, you may experience a sensation of fullness in your ears as your eardrums respond to pressure changes, similar to when you are flying in an airplane or driving down a mountain. Prior to treatment, you will be taught several easy methods to avoid ear discomfort.

Number of Treatments

Treatments are individualized to each patient. Wound healing cases may require 20 to 30 treatments for maximum benefit. Your hyperbaric medicine team will discuss your treatment course with you in detail before therapy begins. The exact number of treatments will be determined by your response to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Outpatients are normally treated once a day, five days a week.

After-Effects are Minimal

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy usually has no after-effects. Some patients report a "crackling" in their ears between treatments. This can be relieved the same way ears are cleared of pressure changes during treatment. Naturally, like all medical treatments, hyperbaric oxygen therapy presents some risks, but these are quite rare and will be discussed with you before you consent to therapy.

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