Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

The most typical patient we see coming for regular Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen, is a person with a slow-healing sore/wound/bite on a foot or lower limb. Despite taking prescribed medication, and having regular skilled wound care, the foot is frustratingly slow to heal, with all the complications of difficulty in walking, showering and driving. Most come for two sessions (of 60 mins) a week and the improvement is easy to see - the body quickly and obviously grows new skin and blood vessels, swelling goes down and the wound clearly begins to heal, in layers from the inside, out. Bacteria is destroyed and function quickly improves Oxygen is the most important variable Of all the factors involved in healing of complex wounds, diabetic sores, ulcers, gangrene, surgery sites, thermal burns and limb trauma, Our bodies consist of a fine web of connective tissue, through which a network of blood, nerve and lymphatic vessels run, bringing oxygen, and nutrition to every cell. Surgery involves cutting through that web, an accident or burn damages the fine fibres, and a wound is an opening or tear in that connective tissue. In order to repair the network, the body lays down thicker tissue – scar tissue , to protect the area from the trauma is experienced. But (thick) scar tissue has poorer circulation. And when the circulation is poorer, it is more difficult for oxygen to reach damaged tissue and begin the work of healing and repairing it. Two sessions of Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to optimise the overall health of the patient before surgery is ideal but not necessary. As soon as practical after surgery, 5-10 treatments speeds up the recovery and healing process, as inflammation is reduced, new cells and tissues are formed. The concentrated oxygen has an antibacterial effect at the wound sites, so risk of infection is reduced while breaking down scar tissue . Especially orthopaedic surgeries, such as wrist, elbow, knee and hip surgeries respond quickly to Hyperbaric Oxygen. Physiotherapists and rehab specialists notice the speed of wound healing, during their sessions. MHBOT promotes the activity of osteoblast's - bone forming cells, and our patients have noticed a good improvement in their bone healing process Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy reduces swelling in burns wounds, has the ability to maintain the health of the tissue around the burn, and prevents partial thickness burns from becoming full thickness, if treatment is started early

Athletes take on challenge's - body and mind, every day. The demands of training, maintaining personal life, competing, and recovery can drain the body, affect performance and put athletes at risk of sickness, accidents and injuries. Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy delivers up to 25% more oxygen to body tissues, reducing swelling in sore muscles, boosting immunity, combating fatigue, and speeding up healing and recovery Training: Adding 25% more oxygen directly to the body, gives cells the oxygen it needs to create ATP for energy, more efficiently, and also flushes out lactic acid that causes muscle fatigue. Hyperbaric Oxygen has been shown to stimulate the growth of new, (and more) mitochondria in the cells, It literally builds capacity for more energy-creation, which enhances stamina especially for longer-distances and duration. Many Comrades Marathon runners come for regular MHbot in the weeks before the Ultimate Human Race. Performance in competition is boosted as red blood production is increased, as the oxygen-carrying capabilities of blood grows – this is also what gives cells and tissues the ability to regenerate and heal optimally. Many sport teams (such as the Blue Bulls) use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy after strenuous training sessions.This recovery protocol ensures that athletes are able to get back on the road, cycle, field, ring, track or pool with high levels of energy. Additional Hyperbaric Oxygen sessions, shortly before a race or event, will prime the muscles, lungs, blood and brain for a focussed, rested, optimal performance. From Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Lebron James, Mo Salah, Novak Djokovich using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to help recover after tough workouts while training, to rugby players (Andre Joubert and Jean de Villiers), Martial Artists and gymnasts and whole cricket teams, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a respected part of a programme for muscle recovery, boosted endurance and reduced fatigue Injury: Pain, surgery and niggling injuries are often part of an athlete’s daily experience – the advice to rest and wait for complete healing is not an option! Loading the blood plasma with additional pure oxygen in a Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber, increases penetration of damaged tissues , ligaments, tendons and muscles, rebuilds cartilage and reduces swelling. As oxygen crosses over cell membranes, the body grows new blood vessels (which now have extra oxygen in them), and reduces swelling as it drains away the lymphatic build-up of injury. Typical sports-related wounds such as muscle strain, ligament tear, TBI, and concussions heal substantially faster using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Active Rest and Recovery : turn rest days into active rest as Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy flushes toxins and by-products of training and competing, while the athlete breathes pure concentrated oxygen and sleeps in the Chamber during a session. Rest Days are a useful opporunity for the body to focus on repair of niggling injuries before they get worse, and give white blood cells a chance to fight infections.

"Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can bring about dramatic improvement in many neurological conditions for which medicine has very little to offer other than palliative care" Although the brain is surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid in a hard skull, it can still be injured by accident, disease, concussion and surgery. The brain is vulnerable to swelling, inflammation, secondary injury, and reduced oxygen levels, once it has been hurt – Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy provides a unique solution. Oxygen molecules are able to pass the Blood-brain-Barrier easily, even when vessels are damaged and can begin the repair process quickly. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy delivers up to twenty times the normal oxygen into the cerebrospinal fluid and blood plasma, healing the injured tissues. HBOT can dramatically and permanently improve symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury months, or even many years after the original head injury. The major challenges of TBI are decreased oxygen, decreased blood flow, swelling of the brain and constriction of blood vessels Short (one hour) spells of HBOT triggers a variety of healing processes without overwhelming the body’s anti-oxidant system. Every minute after a stroke goes untreated, millions of brain cells die. However, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has been shown to stimulate the growth of new brain cells, also activating stem cells, to begin with the repair process. As swelling in the brain is reduced, and oxygen is delivered to dormant cells, changes begin in the brain. Clients who have come for MHBOT post-stroke notice that movement is easier after a session. Some stroke-patients even do gentle stretches and exercise in the Chamber , and find that their bodies have less tension as soon as they get out of the chamber Concussion is a form mild traumatic brain injury. The brain has bashed against the inside of the skull, after a blow, fall, knock or hit, and brain, blood vessels and nerve tissues have been damaged. Symptoms may be immediate or take few days to show; repeated concussions cause far-reaching effects in the brain such a concentration and memory problems, and volatile moods, later in life. Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, reduces of swelling, increases blood flow in tissues, stimulates growth of new blood capillaries, mobilizes stem cells from bone marrow, and brain cell regrowth HBOT is the only therapy that directly treats the underlying disease processes of Traumatic Brain Injury.

A great deal of research into Autism, Sensory Processing difficulties, Hyper-Activity and Attention Deficit Disorder speak to the role that inflammation of the brain, and the gut plays. A critical part of reducing this inflammation comes from Nutrition, BUT Oxygen is the primary food for the brain . Cerebral Palsy is a movement disorder, in which there is damage to the developing brain, often caused by premature birth or oxygen deprivation at both. Dopmaine is an especially important neurotransmitter for the brain, and, dopamine production, like all neurotransmitter production, increases with Oxygen nourishment. In all these cases, we have had several children and young adults who have come for regular Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as part of their procotol for Healing their brains. In some cases, children came for 30 sessions, at one hour per time, daily. Differences were noticed within a week, the first change we usually notice is that the child is generally calmer and more able to focus. In the next week there is more engagement and a change is attempts at speech, and many times the family’s notice a big improvement in how the child manages the other therapies they are attending. In other cases, the child attends weekly, over a much longer duration. The changes follow a similar pattern - as inflammation in the gut and brain are reduced, the capacity the child has to engage in tasks, make eye contact and speak improves directly. Children with Severe brain injury and cerebral palsy often come for weekly Hyperbaric Oxygen, again over long stretches of time. The biggest change for them has been a noticeable decrease in spasticity of their limbs. Some of them even do stretches and therapy IN the chamber and find their body’s more receptive and more mobile which breathing oxygen. These changes last after the session too. With improved brain circulation and development of new brain cells, physiotherapy and speech becomes more efficient Every child has a unique configuration of birth history, developmental progress, and challenges. Before and During the first sessions of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy we will discuss, assess, moderate and keep a fine eye on progress and also document all changes. The parent is present in the Chamber with the child at all times