Fibromyalgia & Oxygen Treatment

Many people who suffer from fibromyalgia have difficulties finding relief from their symptoms. According to the Fibromyalgia Symptoms website, this disease is not well understood by the medical community. Symptoms can run the gamut from fatigue to widespread pain. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but there are ways to treat the symptoms. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is one way.

• Free yourself from fibromyalgia pain.

History

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy uses pressurized oxygen, which people receive in an oxygen chamber. HBOT has been used for hundreds of years. The first chamber was invented in Britain in 1662. You may have heard of divers using this procedure. People are now using this technique to treat more than 60 medical conditions.

Function

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy works by delivering 100 percent pure oxygen to the patient in a pressurized chamber, according to the Fibromyalgia Symptoms website. They explain that by immersing the patient in pure, pressurized oxygen, a number of biological reactions occur, helping to reduce pain.

Significance

• HBOT is a new treatment for fibromyalgia; however, initial studies suggest that this therapy is especially effective in treating muscle pain and tender points. A study conducted by medical researchers in a Turkish military hospital produced some very positive results.

Case Study

• Fibromyalgia patients took 15 HBOT sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. The study showed that after the sessions, the patients reported having half the number of tender points than before and twice their original pain threshold. The placebo group said that they had no changes in either area.

Expectations

• If you decide to try hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you must follow a number of safety rules. Your skin and hair must be free of all products such as moisturizers, leave-in conditioners, perfume and talcum powder. This is because pure oxygen is in the chamber, and this is highly flammable. Those products could cause a fire risk. You will also need to wear clothing made of 100 percent cotton. You will then be rolled into the chamber on a cot, where you will stay for 60 to 90 minutes. You may nap, read or listen to music. You will also be able to communicate with the operator through a microphone inside the chamber.

Warning

• There are some side effects associated with HBOT, but if a professional is monitoring you, these side effects are rare. The main risk is called barotrauma. This is what happens when the pressure in the chamber causes body tissues to compress, resulting in a burst eardrum or lung. Another side effect is when too much oxygen is absorbed by the body, causing the patient to experience nausea, to vomit or to have a seizure.

Expert Insight

• According to the Fibromyalgia Symptoms website, most HBOT labs are in large hospitals run by qualified technicians. Medical insurance covers this procedure if you have a prescription from your doctor. Make sure you find out if your technician is a member of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society.