What is HBO?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment that involves breathing 100% oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber. The pressure in the chamber is increased, anywhere from 1.5 to 3.0 atmospheres for a duration of one hour. The hyperbaric oxygen treatment provides a dramatic increase in the oxygen in the blood. The high level of oxygen in the blood then provides an increase in oxygen to all tissues and mitigates an over-reactive immune function. These three results provide incredible healing benefits.

How it works

Normally, all cells are close enough to capillaries (our smallest blood vessels) to receive the necessary oxygen and nutrients for normal function. With trauma, these capillaries are injured, cannot supply the cells with oxygen, leading to swelling in the area (think of a sprained ankle). The cells can become injured and can even die off if they do not have oxygen to support their functions. Under hyperbaric conditions, the swelling is reduced and oxygenation is restored to all cells. After several hyperbaric treatments, angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels) begins restoring more normal blood flow. 

What is RightEye Testing

Prior to, during, and after treatment, all patients being treated for TBI, and PTSD undergo a quick eye exam called RightEye. RightEye is an eye tracking system that tests several important metrics, including pursuits, saccades, fixation stability, and reaction time. TBI and PTSD can interfere with oculomotor function, causing and/or exacerbating symptoms related to TBI and PTSD. RightEye detects this dysfunction and allows us to track patients’ progress through hyperbaric treatment.

What are the risks?

Minimal. Ears pop like on an airplane. Patients wear 100% cotton scrubs. No make-up, paper or electronics may go in the chamber.

"It has helped completely, and I have no more suicidal thoughts, I still deal with depression still but am doing great. I'm able to participate in life, and I owe it all to Hyperbarics. I tell all my friends and family about Hyperbarics and it's hard not to get choked up about how it has completely changed my life and given me a second chance to live." - I.O.

"It was very effective, I now have a full-time job, I used to only be able to work full-time for 3 months and then take 2-3months off for my mental health, I was able to go to college to further my career, and now I am getting married soon. I still have some ups and downs, but I can manage it all and still have a life now." - R.O.

Hyperbaric Oxygen for Veterans

At Healing with Hyperbarics, they use one-of-a-kind protocols developed by Dr. Daphne Denham to treat a variety of conditions. These conditions are considered “off-label” because their treatment with hyperbaric has not yet been approved by the FDA. Among the wide variety of conditions they treat includes Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Veterans.

Can They Treat a Concussion?

Our current standard of care in the 21^st century for an injury to the brain, or a concussion, is to rest and then wait and see what happens. If someone still has problems months after the injury then they try to re-program the brain to work around the injury. Adapt to “the new normal” some say.

Hyperbaric oxygen has been used for over 100 years to treat different medical conditions, most notably the bends. It has been shown in multiple studies to reduce the injury from brain trauma, like concussions.

With a Concussion…..

Not only is there an initial injury, but the brain swells and the cells of the brain become inflamed. Both the swelling and inflammation continue to cause damage to more brain cells and are responsible for many of the prolonged symptoms after injury.

Brain Health

Our lives are determined by our brains. When our brains are injured, it affects every aspect of our lives. When we’ve had trauma to the brain, many of our cells sit in “idle”: they aren’t active, but they also aren’t dead. This can lead to numbness, decreased or heightened emotions, depression and anxiety, among other symptoms. With hyperbaric oxygen, we are providing these brain cells with the oxygen (and in turn, the nutrients) they need to “wake up”.