Indications for Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is the use of specialized equipment to surround the body with 100 percent oxygen at a pressure of 2 atmosphere absolute (ATA) compared to gravity's normal 1 ATA. This gives the equipment the ability to help heal a multitude of indicated ailments.

Decompression Sickness

• The most common use for a hyperbaric oxygen equipment is for the treatment of decompression sickness. Decompression sickness occurs when elevation is changed too quickly (such as with scuba divers who emerge too fast). Hyperbaric oxygen treatment helps relieves the symptoms associated with decompression, which in many cases can be life threatening.

Carbon Monoxide

• Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is also commonly used to treat severe carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that can bind to oxygen carrying hemoglobin. This can cause severe health problems, and even death.

Infections

• A more alternative use of hyperbaric oxygen treatment is for infections. This is due to some manufacturers claims that the increased oxygen and pressure has the ability to kill some types of disease causing organisms. Unfortunately, there is not enough scientific proof for these claims.

Wounds

• The healing of external and internal wounds is also an alternative indication for hyperbaric oxygen treatment. This is based on the belief that the treatment can stimulate new blood vessel growth and increase the amount of available oxygen to the damaged tissue. Unfortunately, there is not enough scientific evidence to substantiate this claim. The equipment, however, is still often used for this purpose.

Radiation Treatment

• According to the American Cancer Society, hyperbaric oxygen treatment may also be affective in helping prevent and treat tissue damage caused by radiation treatment for cancer. Although radiation is developed to target cancer cells, it can also damage other cells in the body. Hyperbaric treatment may help increase the healing process of these damaged cells.