Da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man”
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONDITIONS TREATED BY HYPERBARIC OXYGEN?
“Approved” conditions are FDA recognized. These are more likely to be covered by insurance companies:
- Air or Gas Embolism
- Anemia/Blood Loss
- Bone Infections
- Burns
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Crush Injuries
- Gas Gangrene
- Intracranial Abscess
- Problem Wounds
- Radiation Necrosis
- Skin Grafts
- Soft Tissue Injury
Many “off label” conditions, while not recognized by the FDA, are commonly and legally treated by HBOT/mHBOT doctors, but are not typically covered by insurance companies. Some of those listed are undergoing research and are showing promising results.
- AIDS
- Alzheimer’s
- Arthritis
- Autism
- Birth Injuries
- Cancer
- Cardiac Conditions (some)
- Cerebral Palsy
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Crohn’s Disease
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Drug/Alcohol Rehabilitation
- Fibromyalgia
- Learning Disabilities
- Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)
- Lyme Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Migraine Headaches
- Near Drowning
- Parkinson’s
- Post Concussion Syndrome
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
- Reynaud’s Phenomenon
- Sports Injury
- Stroke
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Ulcerative colitis
WHAT ARE SOME CONTRAINDICATED CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS?
Absolute Contraindications:
- History of, or concurrent treatment with certain drugs (including, but not limited to): Bleomycin (tradename Blenoxane), Cisplatin (tradename Platinol), Disulfiram (tradename Antabuse), Doxorubicin (trade name Adriamycin), and Mafenide (tradename Sulfamylon)
- Untreated Pneumothorax
Relative Contraindications:
- Asthma
- Cardiac Insufficiency
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Claustrophobia
- Congenital Spherocytosis
- Epidural Pain Pump
- Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
- High fever
- Pacemaker
- Pregnancy
- Seizure history
- Upper Resperatory Infection (URI)
Possible Side Effects:
- Barotrauma to the ear/sinuses (minimized by using proper ear clearing techniques)
- Fatigue (usually temporary)
- Oxygen toxicity (rare, especially using lower pressures)
- Certain drugs/substances (including thyroid medications) may be metabolized differently, affecting dosing
- Changes or worsening of cataracts (usually with higher pressures)
- Increased nearsightedness (can be temporary; usually with higher pressures)
***YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY/CONDITIONS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED THOROUGHLY WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING HBOT/mHBOT TREATMENT, AND MONITORED THROUGHOUT. A PHYSICIAN’S PRESCRIPTION IS REQUIRED.