Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) involves a patient breathing air or varying amounts of oxygen within a pressurized chamber, where the pressure is above 1 atmosphere.

The healing power of oxygen is not something new. The use of hyperbaric therapy dates back nearly 350 years. The very first hyperbaric chamber was created in 1662 with the clinical use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy starting in the mid 1800s. During the 1960s, studies began to show a wide variety of beneficial uses for HBOT therapy. Today, there are over 150 internationally approved conditions for which hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to be effective and beneficial.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is an effective treatment for a variety of medical conditions either as a primary or adjunctive treatment. It is non-invasive with very few (and rare) potential side effects and has very few contraindications. The staff at R Chiropractic Recovery & Wellness in Norman, OK evaluates each patient to determine whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is appropriate. If the staff determines that HBOT is appropriate, they will customize a patient’s individual treatment protocol.

Hyperbarics is a safe alternative to many medical options available to patients today. Some hyperbaric patients may report some mild ear pressure discomfort. This discomfort is similar to the pressure felt when ascending and descending in an airplane. Discuss these concerns with Dr. Conner and our certified hyperbaric therapy technician.

HBOT is an all natural therapy with generally no, or temporary, side effects. However, mild irritation to the ear drum may occur in about 10% of patients. The certified technicians at R Chiropractic Recovery & Wellness will be with you every step of the way to prevent with from occurring.

At the start of the treatment session, oxygen immediately begins to circulate and the pressure gradually increase. The patient will generally start to feel a fullness sensation in the ears, similar to ascending and descending in an airplane. This fullness should only last about 10-15 minutes and a certified hyperbaric technician will guide the patient to relieve any ear pressure. One treatment pressure is reached, patients relax and just breathe normally. Near the end of the treatment session, the hyperbaric technician will gradually decrease the pressure in the chamber, a process that lasts about 10 minutes. During the decompression stage, it is common for patients to experience a slight popping sensation in the ears as a result of the change in pressure.

Every patient is unique and evaluated according to their condition and their response to therapy, which determines the number of treatment sessions needed.

Keep in mind that the ‘40 hour protocol’ is the gold standard for many of the physiological benefits that have been observed with HBOT. However, the actual physiological benefits (for HBOT) can be seen in a just a few sessions! It has been well documented that the antioxidant and protective role of HBOT is immediate and demonstrated within 24 hours of just one hyperbaric session.

Here is general summary:

1-5 sessions: Improve cellular energy and during this time tissue functioning may be optimized. Inflammatory markers can go down considerably and make the beginning of a natural repair process.

5-10 sessions: Typically used for acute injuries with soft tissue damage, particularly if there is pain involved.

10-20 session: More serious acute injuries or chronic injuries.

20-40 sessions: Commonly used for major tissue damages and when new tissue is required.

It is not generally advised to undergo hyperbaric therapy if you are pregnant.