1. HBOT increases Stem Cell Growth:
According to a study to be published in the American Journal of
Physiology-Heart and Circulation Physiology, a typical course of hyperbaric
oxygen treatments increases by eight-fold the number of stem cells circulating
in a patient’s body. Stem cells, also called progenitor cells are crucial to
injury repair.
Stem cells exist in the bone marrow of human beings and animals
and are capable of changing their nature to become part of many different
organs and tissues. In response to injury, these cells move from the bone
marrow to the injured sites, where they differentiate into cells that assist in
the healing process.
The movement, or mobilization, of stem
cells can be triggered by a variety of stimuli — including pharmaceutical
agents and hyperbaric oxygen treatments. Where as drugs are associated with a
host of side effects, hyperbaric oxygen treatments carry a significantly lower
risk of such effects.
2. HBOT significantly reduces swelling:
Dilation or blood vessel widening following damage to tissue
results in decreased blood flow. That increase in blood flow couples with
revascular permeability (movement of fluid in and out of blood vessels) to
increase protein and fluids outside blood vessels reducing tissue swelling.
HBOT significantly reduces swelling, and reduces the pain associated with it.
As the oxygen supply reduces, blood
flow increases which will only serve to exacerbate the swelling and impede the
inflammatory process that assists the commencement of healing.
3. HBOT significantly reduces Edema (Swelling)
The development of edema (swelling) is caused by a number of
factors such as an increase in local blood flow and also damage to local blood
and lymphatic vessels.
The pressure exerted by edema on surrounding structures can
compromise circulation. When this pressure approaches or exceeds that in the
blood vessels, then blood flow will slow or cease altogether.
Swelling also contributes to tissue hypoxia (a shortage of
oxygen in the tissues) by increasing the distance between the capillary (smallest
blood vessels) and the cells, which impedes cell function, metabolism and the
inflammatory process by increasing the diffusion distance (movement of particles from an area of high
concentration to an area of low concentration).
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is able to
combat the increased distance for oxygen diffusion from blood vessel to cells
by increasing the oxygen content within the blood which will result in an
increased oxygen delivery to cells and tissues, shortening the inflammatory
process, thereby speeding the healing and repair of tissues.
4. HBOT significantly shortens the
inflammatory process:
The body’s initial response to any injury involves inflammation.
Inflammation is the process by which cells such as phagocytes (white blood
cells) gain access to the damaged/injured tissues to prevent infection and
enable healing to commence. Decreased oxygen supply greatly impacts the
inflammatory process as the cells involved in inflammation are oxygen
dependent. Should oxygen supply be decreased, the inflammatory process and
healing will be impaired.
Increased oxygen availability promotes
vasoconstriction when blood vessels in the body become smaller which causes
fluid reabsorption and helps reduce edema while keeping the tissue well
oxygenated. This supports the cells of the inflammatory process in removing
cell debris and micro-organisms that impede infection. White blood cells have
an increase in cellular energy that speeds up their activity and reduces the
time of the inflammatory process.
5. HBOT improves range of motion:
Following hyperbaric oxygen therapy, swelling is also decreased
and resolved more rapidly. As a result, pain will be less allowing for the
return of range of motion as the healing process gains momentum and
inflammation is decreased.
6. HBOT increases the production of
collagen:
Following the initial healing process of the inflammatory
response and the prevention or removal of infection, comes the next chapter in
tissue/wound healing.
Collagen is the connective tissue developed and laid down by
fibroblasts, the repair cells of the body. Collagen acts as a base layer in the
healing wound and assists the wound to close and repair. The formation of
collagen and hence wound healing/recovery is highly dependent on the presence of
adequate amounts of oxygen. The actual production of collagen by fibroblasts is
also extremely dependent on oxygen availability.
As hyperbaric oxygen therapy markedly
increases the oxygen available within the blood this in turn enables for a
cross-linking or strengthening of the tissues, and fibroblasts to produce
increased amounts of collagen required for healing of wounds and tissue damage.
7. HBOT increases growth of cells that
form reparative tissue (Fibroblastic proliferation)
Clinical research has demonstrated that a number of days
following injury there occurs a migration of fibroblasts (connective tissue
cells responsible for collagen production) into the area of damage. These cells
then divide and replicate producing large amounts of collagen (connective
tissue used to repair damage to tissue) that acts as the building block for the
healing of tissue and wounds.
The development and migration of
fibroblasts is assisted by the influx of oxygen resulting from hyperbaric
oxygen therapy, this then supports the development and action of these
particular cells which play a vital part in the healing/recovery process.
8. HBOT supports scar tissue
rehabilitation:
A decrease in oxygen available to cells such as fibroblasts
impairs their action, impacting upon the healing of tissue, causing healing to
take longer, and inhibiting the quality of scar tissue developed or
rehabilitated, which in turn greatly decreases tissue strength.
Healing occurs both faster and stronger
in wounds/injuries that are treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy due to the
demands of oxygen availability by the cells and tissues responsible for the
healing process being met.
9. HBOT promotes greater tissue
strength:
As the oxygen concentration of the blood increases during
hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cells further from blood vessels are more adequately
oxygenated. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy allows for increased oxygen availability
in more extensive areas enabling fibroblasts to carry out their part of the
healing process for tissue damage and injury, more rapidly covering larger
areas.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy saturates the
blood plasma with oxygen, this in turn reaches the areas of damage/injury with
greater efficiency than red blood cells, providing all cells and tissues with
the much needed agent for healing, oxygen. The cells responsible for the
development of scar tissue for healing are then able to carry this out more
rapidly and the resulting tissue integrity is stronger.
10. HBOT enhances the growth of new
blood vessels (Angiogenesis)
Injury or damage to tissues also results in damage and
destruction of the supporting blood vessel structures. The healing process is
reliant on these structures for supply of the blood containing the cells and
nutrients that carry out and enable healing as well as the removal of damaged
cells, debris and foreign micro-organisms.
Research has demonstrated that
treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly increases the number and
actual size of blood vessels in damaged tissues and wounds. This allows the
healing process to occur faster speeding the recovery of the injury or
wound.
11. HBOT increases oxygen levels in
tissues (Hyperoxia)
With an increase in oxygen availability resulting from both
blood that is highly saturated in oxygen dissolved in the plasma, and an
increase in the number of blood vessels due to new vessels being created as
well as the healing of damaged blood vessels, tissues and cells become highly
saturated in oxygen.
12. HBOT increases oxygen perfusion
area around wounds:
Oxygen perfusion around wounds and damaged tissues is greatly
increased when the blood supply to these areas possesses greater than normal
levels of oxygen within blood plasma as well as carried on red blood cells. The
oxygen contained in the blood plasma is more easily accessible than that
carried to the tissues and cells of the wound/damaged area on red blood cells,
and this method of oxygen supply is less labour intensive and energy taxing.
The cells involved in the healing
process are highly dependent on oxygen to carry out their healing function and
this increased demand for oxygen in the area around wounds by the increased
number of healing cells in that location is met by the increased oxygen
saturation of the blood following hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
13. HBOT stimulates new capillary
growth:
During the time of injury and damage the microcirculation and
the blood vessels of this circulation (capillaries) are vital to the healing
process through the supply of nutrients and oxygen and the removal of waste and
debris to enable the cells responsible for healing to successfully complete
their function.
Growth of new, and repair of damaged
capillaries are stimulated within the damaged tissues by hyperbaric oxygen
therapy, providing increased oxygen availability to these areas. The increased
oxygen supply and increased pressure employed by hyperbaric oxygen supply are
both responsible for the stimulation of new capillary growth and the repair of
existing capillaries.
14. HBOT improves the survival of
tissues in the ‘grey area’ of crush injuries
The ‘grey area’ of crush injuries can be defined as the area
between the tissues that are obviously irreversibly damaged and those tissues
that are undamaged. The tissues of the ‘grey area’ benefit greatly from
increased oxygen supply, improved circulation and blood supply. These are the
aspects that will allow the tissues of the ‘grey area’ to be saved, salvaged
and repaired.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been
shown to support and maintain tissue oxygenation within the ‘grey area’
resulting in a better outcome for the tissues, wound or injury.
15. HBOT increases production and
improves the action of Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts
Osteoblasts are the cells responsible for bone formation and
osteoclasts are the cells responsible for bone reabsorption. Both these cells
work together to form bones and control the amount of bone tissue.
The provision of increased levels of
oxygen allows for increased production of these cells and enables them to
conduct bone repair and formation more adequately through the reduction of
edema and growth of new blood vessels in the micro-circulation.
16. HBOT improves bone regeneration for
faster recovery
When the inflammatory process, swelling and edema is rectified
more rapidly the repair and regeneration of bone is able to commence sooner.
With the increase in blood supply and
oxygen availability, the tissues and cells responsible for bone regeneration
are able to carry out their task of healing more efficiently, resulting in
accelerated recovery and a better result in the healing tissues.
17. HBOT helps prevent infection
Research has demonstrated that having lower oxygen levels in
tissues and wounds increases the possibility of infection. Changes in wound and
tissue oxygenation impacts greatly upon the wound immune mechanism.
Having an improved or increased tissue
oxygen supply reduces the incidence of wound infection as the cells responsible
for prevention and recovery from infection are dependent on oxygen, therefore
additional oxygen benefits the healing process.
18. HBOT increases white blood cell
production
The major players in the bodies immune response are the white
blood cells. Providing the body with increased oxygen availability increases
the production of white blood cells providing benefit to the bodies immune
response.
High-dose oxygen delivered under
pressures greater than sea level (hyperbaric oxygen therapy), stimulates and
enables the bodies immune response
19. HBOT enhances ability of white
blood cells to remove bacteria and debris (Leukocyte activity)
Without oxygen or in a hypoxic (shortage of oxygen in the body)
environment the function of white blood cells becomes diminished. This in turn
provides a significant threat of infection as the bodies immune response is
impaired.
The increased oxygen supply offered by
hyperbaric oxygen therapy assists in bacterial killing through improving
leukocyte (type of white blood cell) function.
20. HBOT potentiates the use of
antibiotics
Research has demonstrated that periods
of hyperoxia (increased oxygen levels in tissues) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy
has influenced the activity of some antibiotics, enhancing their effectiveness.
This enables the presenting infection to resolve quicker.
21. HBOT destroys harmful bacteria
(Antimicrobial effect)
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy provides direct bactericidal
(substance that kills bacteria) and bacteriostatic (hampers the growth of
bacteria) effects against bacteria due to the generation of oxygen free
radicals. These free radicals are able to damage the membranes and make up of
the bacteria rendering them ineffective or killing them.
Anaerobic (without oxygen) organisms
find an increased oxygen environment toxic and are unable to survive.
22. Hyperbaric Oxygenation Effects the
Blood Flow
Normal blood flow: There
is 21% oxygen in the air that we breathe, and our lungs transfer this oxygen to
our red blood cells (via hemoglobin). These oxygen-filled red blood cells are
carried around the body by the plasma (fluid), which travels through the blood
vessels. The oxygen diffuses into the surrounding tissue ensuring that it is
delivered to where it is needed most.
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