Whether you are an athlete recovering from an injury or concussion, are dealing with a mental health concern or just want to stay in optimum condition, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) may be right for you. People all over the world have recovered from serious diseases and conditions with the help of HBOT.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
HBOT works as its name implies: hyper (more of) and baric (pressure). HBOT uses the power of oxygen to create a healing environment for your body. Increased air pressure can signal the DNA in your cells to perform healing tasks the body normally can’t do. HBOT has been used for decades to reintroduce scuba divers to standard atmospheric pressure. In recent years, HBOT has found many uses in the medical and mental health professions.
How Does It Work?
During an HBOT session, a patient lies down in a pressurized chamber and begins to breathe normally. With increased pressure, the lungs can gather up to 3 times more oxygen than would be possible breathing at normal air pressure. This pressurization allows oxygen to be pushed deeper into the tissues throughout the body. Healing is promoted by maximizing the amount of oxygen in the blood that can reach the injured area.
What Does It Treat?
HBOT has been used to improve many conditions, including:
• Sports injuries
• Burns
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Decompression sickness (“the bends”)
• Diabetic ulcers and complications
• Non-healing wounds
• Parkinson’s disease
• Lyme disease
• Migraines
• Multiple sclerosis
• Vascular dementia
• Post-surgical healing
• Cerebral palsy
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Stroke
Benefits of HBOT
HBOT can enhance mitochondrial function, boost the immune system, and increase stem cell and ATP production. HBOT supports the white blood cells’ ability to fight infection, helps the body build new connective tissue, and may kill certain types of harmful bacteria.
HBOT patients have reported reduced headaches, depression, and irritability, as well as improved sleep, cognition, mood and memory. While HBOT is often used for healing the body, it can also be effective in helping the brain.
HBOT and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
TBIs caused by physical trauma and sports-related activities are a major concern for your brain health. HBOT has been shown to reduce inflammation and the effects of hypoxia (lack of oxygen). HBOT may also increase blood circulation to underactive portions of the brain, which enhances recovery and stimulates healing. HBOT can help TBI patients by: improving cognitive function, supporting the growth of new neurons and stimulating neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to change, adapt, and grow.
HBOT and Memory
There is evidence that HBOT may slow the progression of serious memory problems by increasing blood flow to the brain. In addition to sharper recall, some individuals who’ve used HBOT have also experienced quicker reactions in speech and thought. Since HBOT helps provide more oxygen to the brain, it can help to improve brain regulation and overall cognition, including memory.
HBOT and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
HBOT has been successful at improving cognitive and behavioral functions in autistic patients by compensating for decreased blood flow in affected areas of the brain.
For autism spectrum patients, HBOT has been shown to:
• Improve cognitive and sensory awareness
• Promote quality sleep
• Reduce aggression
• Advance social interactions
If you know someone who struggles with any of the above conditions, use these 3 proven strategies for preserving and restoring the brain:
Protect Your Brain
Since there’s an increased risk associated with multiple hits to the head, do everything you can to take care of your brain. Even though protecting your head should be a no-brainer, it’s helpful to be reminded of some practical brain safety tips that can reduce your risk of head trauma, such as: avoid high-risk sports where you can hit your head, remember to wear a seatbelt when in a vehicle and always wear a helmet when on a motorcycle, bicycle, skateboard, snowboard, skis or rollerblades.
Get Moving
Exercise is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to keep your brain healthy. Physical activity can increase blood flow and other positive nutrients to the brain, naturally boost dopamine levels and generate new brain cells. Walking can help clear your mind, improve your mood and burn some calories all at the same time. It’s recommended that you “walk like you’re late” for 45 minutes, 4 days a week.
Take a Look
How can you really know if you have a head injury unless you get an image of your brain? Brain SPECT imaging is the best tool for determining if your brain has suffered functional damage from a concussion or TBI.
Brain SPECT imaging can:
• Help identify if there has been brain trauma
• Show brain blood flow deficits NOT visible in anatomical studies, such as CT or MRI
• Identify affected brain systems
• Help determine if there could be co-occurring conditions that need treatment
• Increase treatment compliance by showing pictures of results
• Provide scientific documentation that may help with special services or legal issues
• Help identify therapies, which may include HBOT, that can help heal your brain
Our Full Evaluation includes two SPECT images (concentrating and resting states), a detailed clinical history, neuropsychological testing and comprehensive evaluation with one of our doctors to target treatment specifically to your brain, using the least toxic, most effective means.
If you or a loved one have suffered a concussion or TBI and are experiencing anxiety, depression, aggressive behaviors, or memory loss, call us today at 888-288-9834 or visit us online to schedule a visit.
TreatNOW: Using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for TBI/PTSD/PCS/Concussion:
The essential elements of the argument
1. In addition to the millions of citizens who are told there is no effective treatment for brain injury, we face an epidemic of suicide, and brain-related wounds afflicting service members’ mental and physical health
2. Billions of $$$ are being spent on research and unproven even hurtful drugs and devices that exacerbate the problems in too many cases.
3. DOD/VA/Army conducted HBOT studies that queered the outcomes with their faulty scientific methods, but their DATA show HBOT works.
4. Business as usual affects over 800,000 wounded and their families while BILLIONS of $$$ are expended on drugs and fruitless psychological and other unproven interventions.
5. The reasons for their “HBOT does not work” position are many but reduce to flawed conclusions about cost, danger, size of problem, closed minds, and entrenched interests, especially default to drug interventions.
6. The cost to the nation: 20 suicides a day, hollowing out of Special Operations forces, $60,000 cost/per year for each untreated brain injury, and corrosive effects of wounded who are told: “There is no treatment to help you.”
7. The Treatment does exist: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy when used by the TreatNOW Coalition and multiple clinics across the US and world have positive scientific and clinical evidence in over 2,300 cases that HBOT helps heal wounded brains and returns patients to a life denied them by DOD/VA/Army that will not use or pay for HBOT treatment for TBI/PTSD/PCS/Concussion.
8. The solution is hiding in plain sight: allow the use of TRICARE/Choice cards by brain-wounded to go on civilian/private market to obtain pre-approved treatment.
So much is left out; there is so much more to say. An essential component of our sports culture is the Concussion Protocol as practiced by the DOD/VA/Army, the NFL, the NCAA, the overwhelming number of ERs and high schools around the world. It is the equivalent of negligence to not treat the wound to the brain. If you refuse to recognize and treat the wound to the brain, it isn’t going to Heal. Symptoms will abate and the wounded may feel better, but beware the long-term effects, particularly when the insults to the head continue. And this factoid: Since the Army now recognizes that BLAST injury is the likely CAUSE of the sequelae diagnosed as “only PTSD” we are confronted with an additional 325,000 likely misdiagnosed TBIs.
Comment by rlbeckman — January 16, 2017 @ 3:28 PM
What is the fee for this treatment?
Comment by Marta Escobar — January 16, 2017 @ 4:26 PM
Yes, what is the fee? Our son had the costly scans, consultation, etc. For his autism spectrum disorders. The prescribed treatment was diet, exercise and the pre-packaged Amen vitamins costing $90.00 per month. The books by Dr. Amen l’ve read, the DVD series l purchased were filled with brain transformations. The HBOT was never mentioned. I am hoping it just slipped through the cracks as an option because Dr. Amen sounds very hopeful when writing about or talking about the success of his program. I don’t know about the availability or fees for the treatments, but if it would.have helped, it wasn’t discussed with us.
Comment by Renee Randle Baranek — January 17, 2017 @ 12:20 AM
Hi Marta, thank you for your interest! The fee can vary depending upon your circumstances – please contact our call center at 888-288-9834 to discuss your specific situation so they can give you accurate information.
Comment by Amen Clinics — January 18, 2017 @ 5:42 PM
Renee, the word around me in Michigan is that it can help with autism quit a bit. One lady asked all her sons doctors about it and they all told her not to waste he time. She did it anyway and got great results.
Comment by SecretMe2016 — March 5, 2017 @ 6:11 PM
What about ADULT ADD. IS THERE RESEARCH DONE TO HELP WITH THIS?
Comment by SecretMe2016 — March 5, 2017 @ 6:12 PM
I could use a good ant killing in my Add brain.
Comment by SecretMe2016 — March 5, 2017 @ 6:14 PM
If a child has had multiple brain shunt revisions and currently has a brain shunt is HBOT an option?
Comment by Lill Hockema — July 7, 2017 @ 7:40 AM
I don’t believe so. He would need to get Neuro to sign off on it.
Comment by Mooret — July 7, 2017 @ 8:09 AM
Most charge any where from $50–$95 per treatment 1hr long for the soft chambers. Hard chambers are much more expensive and are best for acute conditions rather than chronic.
Comment by Mooret — July 7, 2017 @ 8:11 AM
Has there been any studies with persons with brain shunts doing HBOT with results?
Comment by Lill Hockema — July 7, 2017 @ 8:34 AM
Have there been any studies done with people who have COPD?
Comment by Cee Cee Coan — July 7, 2017 @ 6:23 PM
Actually mine is chronic by 12 years with six brain injuries and I had some objectively verified healing. Each block I’ve had improvements. I’ve seen $0-$200 per dive. Also soft chambers may only go up to 1.3ATA when a patient may need 1.35 or higher up to 2.0 for brain injuries.
Comment by Mary Beth Underwood — July 7, 2017 @ 9:34 PM
Check out HBOT.com too for info on using HBOT for autism. Dr Paul Harch is my treating physician for multiple chronic brain injuries. It works.
Comment by Mary Beth Underwood — July 7, 2017 @ 9:38 PM
What I would like to know is if you have any charitable funds to help pay for these treatments for those of us without the funds to do so. I’ve had some healing with HBOT already and need more. But have no funds to do so now to continue my progress.
Comment by Mary Beth Underwood — July 7, 2017 @ 9:41 PM
Is there any evidence this can help with Lewy Body Dementia? My Mom is pretty far along, she cannot be left alone and hallucinates all the time now. I’ve have found a location online near my Mom that has a chamber that seats 3. I need to be there with my Mom so she won’t melt down. How many appointments would she need? I’ve had a few concussions over the years, so neat that I could help my brain while helping her. Also, any issue with using HBOT with asthma? Seems it might help my asthma. I wish I could get her to one of your clinics but traveling would be extremely difficult on her.
Comment by Emily — March 11, 2018 @ 9:51 AM
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a type of therapy that is oxygen done under greater than atmospheric pressure. Treatments are done according to approval by Medicare/Medicaid rules and regulations and its very helpful in treating soft tissue injurys, caused by radiation, diabetes or infections. wound healing.
I rented a hyperbaric chamber from atlantahyperbariccenter.com, for my daughter, who is on autistic spectrum.
Comment by Robert — May 8, 2018 @ 1:28 AM
Would HBOT help mild white matter? I have a leaking heart valve. Is HBOT safe?
Comment by Selene Munach — June 29, 2018 @ 5:47 AM
Check out www.interactivemetronome.com It’s much more readily available that HBOT. Check the research page. There’s research published on the effectiveness of Interactive Metronome for ADHD, and separate search for concussion. Cheers Gerry
Comment by Gerry — September 19, 2018 @ 2:10 AM
Can a patient be treated from Nigeria?
Comment by Admos — September 19, 2018 @ 5:01 AM
I would think that if it is effective, that it will be covered by medical insurance. If not, the FDA will not approve it. They need to have many clinical trials & the results need to be published. Otherwise, you may be wasting your $. I’d like to believe that it works, but the proof of the pudding is FDA approval & insurance coverage.
Comment by Sharon — November 20, 2018 @ 4:25 PM
Greetings!
I am a 34 years old woman. About 3 years ago, I took 2 different medications together- Lamotrigine (Prescribed for anxiety) and Ginette 35/ Oral Contraveptive Pills (Cyproterone Acetate and Ethinylestradiol) for PCOS ( wrongly diagnosed). Later got to know that the salts in these two drugs interact. Immediately, after taking these two together, I developed multiple symptoms which continued for quite sometime even after stopping these medications. I took an Ayurvedic purgation treatment and symptoms only got worse.
However, over a period of time, all the symptoms dissipated except memory and cognitive symptoms. Since then my brain function is not the same. I have constant issues with recalling names, remembering tasks to be done etc. Also, I continue to feel emotionally and mentally attracted/ aroused to my partner but not physically
Can HBOT help with this kind of a cognitive problem?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Warm regards
Comment by Mridula — December 14, 2018 @ 10:41 PM
FDA approval means nothing to me! The FDA protects drug company profits and prescription drugs, used as directed are the 4th largest cause of death. They are not interested in keeping people healthy and are horrible at treating chronic illness so I would not use FDA approval as a judge of any integrative or natural therapy! Our medical insurance has refused to pay for many things that have helped us but if we were on a drug that cost a fortune and caused all sorts of bad side effects insurance would pay for that!
Comment by Alexis — December 1, 2022 @ 8:51 AM