HBOT is the administration of 100% pure oxygen at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure for healing purposes. It is best known for treating carbon monoxide poisoning, wounds and decompression sickness (the bends), but it’s also used to treat conditions such as vascular disease, brain injury, ischemia, gas gangrene, burns, and more. It increases the number of circulating stem cells, promotes the growth of new blood vessels at the wound site, and fights infections.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy clinic in Auburn  works by raising the air pressure inside a clear acrylic chamber, which is filled with oxygen. You can lie, sit or stand comfortably in the chamber while a technician monitors you. The pressure in the chamber rises to a specific amount and stays there for a prescribed time period based on your condition.

Exploring Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Washington: Benefits, Process, and Treatment Centers

A neurologist or wound care specialist will prescribe the number and duration of your HBOT sessions, which are generally 30 to 40 per treatment plan. Medicare and most insurance companies cover hyperbaric oxygen therapy, though you should check with your health plan to be sure.

HBOT prevents “reperfusion injury” that can happen when the oxygen supply to tissues is interrupted, such as during a crush injury. It encourages the body’s oxygen radical scavengers to seek out and neutralize harmful molecules that damage tissues. It also improves the movement of oxygen through capillaries, and helps build new micro blood vessels in ischaemic (oxygen-deprived) tissues. It is also bactericidal, meaning it destroys or inhibits the reproduction of bacteria.