Find out what hyperbaric oxygen therapy is

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the methods of treatment carried out by providing pure oxygen in a special room with high air pressure, for the patient to breathe. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is carried out in a special room that can increase air pressure up to three times the normal atmospheric pressure. The increase in air pressure in this hyperbaric chamber causes the patient's lungs to absorb more oxygen than usual, which can help cure various diseases. The principle of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is to help the body to repair damaged tissue by increasing the flow of oxygen to body tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy will cause the blood to absorb more oxygen due to increased oxygen pressure in the lungs that is manipulated by the hyperbaric chamber. With oxygen concentrations higher than normal, the body will be triggered to repair damaged tissue faster than usual. The doctor will recommend the patient to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy for several times, depending on the indication.

Indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be recommended in patients who experience conditions or diseases such as:

• Decompression sickness.

Decompression is a condition that occurs when blood flow in the body is blocked, due to changes in air pressure. This pressure change can occur due to flight, diving, or other things that cause drastic changes in air pressure. Changes in air pressure outside the body that can suddenly cause the emergence of air bubbles in blood vessels or emboli Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can shrink the bubbles inside the blood vessels due to changes in pressure.

• Carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur when a person breathes in carbon monoxide gas which causes oxygen absorption by the blood to be disrupted. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can overcome this condition by removing carbon monoxide from the blood by providing high pressure pure oxygen.

• Healing wounds that are difficult to recover.

In normal conditions, the wound can heal by itself. However, in certain conditions, wounds are difficult to heal and close again, for example chronic wounds in diabetics or pressure sores. These conditions reduce the supply of oxygen to the tissue around the wound, while the tissue that plays a role in closing the wound often requires a lot of oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help heal these wounds by providing oxygen with a higher concentration, so that the oxygen demand in the wound tissue can be met.

• Skin graft recovery

Skin grafts in patients who do not have circulatory disorders can blend well. However, if a patient who receives a skin graft suffers from circulatory disorders such as diabetes, the integration of the skin graft with the patient's skin may experience problems. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help the integration of skin grafts in patients with circulatory disorders, by maintaining oxygen supply to areas that get skin grafts, so that recovery can take place properly.

• Soft tissue infections that experience necrosis (tissue death).

Soft tissue infections are generally caused by bacteria. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help cure soft tissue infections by accelerating the death of bacteria, especially anaerobic bacteria that live in low oxygen conditions, by providing excess oxygen to the infected tissue. Excess oxygen in the blood can also help tissue to regenerate and accelerate wound healing.

In addition to the above conditions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also used in conditions of crush injuries and compartment syndrome, air embolism, organ injury due to radiation, recurrent osteomyelitis, burns, anemia, obstruction of blood vessels in the eyes, and sudden deafness. Discuss with your doctor about the benefits of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for your condition, and the risks that can arise.

Warning Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Not all patients can undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Several conditions can cause a person to not be able to undergo oxygen therapy at all because it is feared that it will cause dangerous complications. The situation that causes a person absolutely unable to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy is pneumothorax. Patients who are using certain drugs, such as cisplatin, bleomycin, disulfiram, and doxorubicin, also cannot undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In addition, there are several conditions that cause patients who want to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy to get special treatment or supervision, including:

• Phobias will be a closed room (claustrofbia).
• Asthma.
• Fever.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Red blood cell abnormalities.
• Disorders of the Eustachian tube, the channel that connects the ear to the nose.
• Upper respiratory tract infection.
• Convulsions.

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on pregnancy is not yet known, but it is permissible to do it in an emergency, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.

Preparation of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Before undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, patients will first be asked to stop using cosmetics or personal care products with flammable ingredients. These products generally use hydrocarbons as the main composition, which risks burning by reacting with oxygen. In addition, to avoid the risk of fire, the officer will ask the patient not to bring objects that can trigger a fire, such as a lighter or a battery.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Procedures

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is carried out in a tube or hyperbaric chamber. There are two types of hyperbaric chambers, namely monoplace hyperbaric chamber and multiple hyperbaric chamber. Monoplace hyperbaric chamber can only hold one person at a time for therapy, while multiple hyperbaric chambers can accommodate more than one person. Some multiple hyperbaric chambers can even accommodate up to 20 people. The use and maintenance of hyperbaric chambers must be strictly guarded. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is carried out without the need for hospitalization. The patient will first be asked to change into a special hospital gown. After that, the patient or several patients will enter the hyperbaric chamber. The patient will then be positioned as comfortable as possible during therapy, generally in a relaxed sitting position. After making sure that there are no combustible objects or materials in the hyperbaric chamber, the officer will leave the patient in the hyperbaric chamber and start raising the air pressure of the hyperbaric chamber slowly until it reaches the required pressure. During a hyperbaric therapy procedure, patients will feel pressure on the eardrum due to increased air pressure in the hyperbaric chamber. To relieve pressure on the eardrum, the patient can yawn or swallow saliva so that it can help equalize the air pressure inside the ear. Therapy generally lasts for two hours, during which the officer will monitor the patient's condition through a special monitor. When finished, the officer will reduce the hyperbaric chamber pressure to normal again. After that, patients will be asked to rest before continuing their activities as usual. The patient will undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy for several times in accordance with the doctor's recommendations.

After Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Patients can feel tired and lethargic or hungry, age undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions. After resting for a while, this fatigue will go away on its own and the patient can resume his activities. It is important to remember that most conditions that can be treated through hyperbaric oxygen therapy require several therapies so that the results are more optimal. The number of repetitions of this therapy varies for each condition or disease. Carbon monoxide poisoning only requires 3 treatments, while other conditions or illnesses may require more therapy, even up to 40 treatments. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy will be combined with other treatment methods to obtain maximum results. The doctor will plan a combination of hyperbaric oxygen therapy with drugs or other methods, so that the patient's recovery can be achieved optimally.

Risks of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a fairly safe method and very rarely causes side effects or complications. But that does not mean hyperbaric oxygen therapy can not cause certain side effects. Some of the side effects that can occur due to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, although very rare, are:

• Feeling uncomfortable or painful during a hyperbaric oxygen therapy procedure.
• Farsightedness temporarily after undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
• Seizures due to oxygen buildup in the brain.
• Ear injury.
• Lung injury.
• Fire or explosion in a hyperbaric chamber, especially if the patient uses or carries flammable materials or products.