During hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a person is placed in an enclosed clear acrylic chamber into which 100 percent oxygen is pumped at high pressure. The purpose is to increase the level of oxygen in the blood (such as nitrogen or carbon monoxide). This increases the amount of oxygen available to the skin and underlying tissues, which can prevent tissue death, promote healing, and help fight infection. The process involves three phases: compression, treatment, and decompression.
The beginning of the treatment is the compression phase, where the atmospheric pressure is increased over several minutes. This causes the concentration of oxygen in the bloodstream to rise 15-20 times greater than normal.
Once full pressurization occurs, the treatment phase begins and continues for approximately one and a half to two hours. These high levels of oxygen promote the healing of damaged tissues, reduce swelling, reduces air bubble size, and discourages bacteria growth. Blood pressure, heart rate, and other vitals may be monitored throughout the course of treatment.
The final step of treatment is the decompression phase, in which the chamber temperature will cool. This takes place over a period of several minutes.
What to expect during hyperbaric therapy
Hyperbaric therapy usually involves a series of sessions in one of our three chambers. Before a patient is placed in the chamber, he or she is asked to change into 100 percent cotton clothes provided by the center. After the chamber’s door is closed, our specially trained technician talks to the patient through an intercom system as the oxygen is infused into the chamber. As the pressure increases, a patient’s ears may “pop” as they would when driving up a hill.
Depending on a patient’s condition, a therapy session may last from two to two and a half hours. During the session a patient may watch TV or select a movie from our vast collection. The therapy session generally ends about the same time the video finishes. For safety considerations, books and magazines are not permitted in the chamber.
