Have you ever breathed in pure oxygen? Air comprises several gases, but the main thing you need to understand is that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy exposes you to pure oxygen. In turn, this exposure can have some impressive health benefits and is also used to treat a few health issues. Here’s a peak inside a Hyperbaric chamber and how this therapy works.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a procedure that increases the amount of oxygen delivered to the body by providing pure oxygen while you’re in an enclosed area where the air pressure is higher than outside. This type of therapy was originally designed to treat conditions like decompression sickness. Nowadays, hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers are also used for the treatment of individuals who struggle with tissue disease, trapped air bubbles in the blood vessels, radiation damage, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Why should you go for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
The primary role of a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber is to provide the body with more oxygen. With an increase in oxygen levels, tissue that is damaged by disease or injury can heal faster. While in a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, the air pressure is two or three times the standard air pressure. This therapy allows your body to take in more oxygen than you usually would be able to, resulting in more nutrients and energy being transported around your body, and improves your body's ability to heal and regenerate cells. Here are a few things that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help with:
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The removal of trapped air bubbles
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Assisting in the development and growth of new blood vessels
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Enhancing and strengthening your immune system
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Assisting in the healing of stubborn wounds of skin infections
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Aid in the healing of skin grafts, burns, or radiation damage
What are the risks of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Thankfully, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a relatively safe procedure with little to no downsides. While there may be some mild complications that can occur, they are incredibly rare. Generally, the risk of complications increases the longer you’re in the chamber. Here are some potential risks to be aware of should you go for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:
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Low blood sugar
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Decline in lung functionality for a short period
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The formation of cataracts
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Changes to your sight
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Middle ear injuries due to the change in air pressure
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Ear pain
Some of the more uncommon issues that people may experience are lung collapse or seizures from there being too much oxygen in the system. In addition to these issues, some people also felt anxious due to being in a small enclosed space.
How to prepare for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The best thing you can do to prepare for your therapy session in a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber is to stay calm and composed and listen to your doctor’s instructions before the procedure. While at the facility, you’ll be given several instructions and questions before you’re given a hospital gown to change into.
Certain items, such as lighters or battery-powered devices like your phone, will not be allowed into the chamber because they pose a fire hazard to the facility. These items could spontaneously combust under the pressure applied in the chamber.
What can you expect in a Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber?
Some hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers look different. But, in most cases, the hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber you’ll use will be a long cylindrical bed with a glass tube around it. To undergo therapy, you’ll lie down in the chamber while it’s pressurised. There are two types of hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers to choose from.
You could use a monoplane chamber that only fits one person or a multi-place chamber designed for multiple people. The difference between the two is that the monoplane is a bed-like chamber you have to lie in, while the multi-place chamber is a pressurised room, and you and the others inhale pure oxygen through a mask.
In most cases, your therapy session will last between 1 hour and 30 minutes and 2 hours. Once the session is over, you will need to wait for the room to return to the same pressure as outside. When exiting, the therapy team will check you to ensure your blood pressure is right, and then you can get dressed and leave.
Final Thoughts
To summarise, hyperbaric oxygen therapy exposes you to oxygen in a small enclosed chamber. The therapy itself can be lifesaving and aid in removing air bubbles in your blood, decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and multiple other issues. With little risk and some impressive benefits, you don’t need to fear going for hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Chances are high that it will do more good than harm.
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