Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Risks

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy risks have diminished drastically since the first crude chambers were built more than two hundred years ago. But the enclosure itself, combined with certain medical conditions, pose at least some danger in extraordinary situations.

• Hyperbaric chamber door

Significance

• According to the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is the medical procedure of breathing 100 percent oxygen under increased atmospheric pressure inside a hyperbaric chamber.

Risk

• Adults and children are susceptible to damage of the middle and inner ear, nasal sinuses, lungs and teeth as a result of high pressure inside the hyperbaric chamber. Health Canada, that country's main medical regulatory agency says, "The therapy may affect your eyes, for example by promoting nearsightedness or cataract growth."

  Additionally, HBOT affects blood sugar, so diabetics must closely monitor changes in their level.

Additional Risk

• Children with congenital heart disease may suffer complications. Occasionally, high oxygen levels will produce lung problems or seizures. This possibility is normally prevented by regular breaks where patients breathe normal oxygen. Those prone to claustrophobia may experience panic attacks.

Fire

• Due to the high concentration of oxygen and confined space, fire and explosions are a potential risk, albeit minimal. This has happened extremely rarely in modern times. Governmental agencies regulate the construction, installation, and training of operators in order to minimize this hazard.

Restrictions

• In an effort to provide additional safety, any device that may produce a spark, along with make-up, hairspray, perfume, Vaseline and other petroleum-based products are banned inside hyperbaric chambers. Patients are even advised to avoid applying lotions (most of which are petroleum-based) to the skin on the day of the procedure.