Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, promotes healing by raising air pressure and oxygen level in a hyperbaric chamber, according to MayoClinic.com. Health care providers prescribe hyperbaric oxygen therapy for decompression sickness, commonly called the bends; serious wounds and infections; air bubbles in the blood vessels; radiation injuries; burns; skin grafts; and severe anemia. Although HBOT is safe, some patients experience complications and side effects, notes Aurora Health Care.
Ear Pain
Hyperbaric oxygen chambers gradually increase air pressure to as high as three times the normal level. The higher pressure can cause otic barotrauma or pain in the sinuses or ears, according to Aurora Health Care. If the pressure is not equalized, the patient may experience a ruptured eardrum or damage to the sinuses, according to the American Cancer Society. Fluid may accumulate in the ears, a condition called serous otitis that patients describe as having pillows over the ears. Decongestants can relieve symptoms of serous otitis. Patients with chronic sinusitis, history of ear surgery, viral infections or upper respiratory infections should not have hyperbaric oxygen therapy, according to Aurora Health Care.
Oxygen Toxicity
Because the body is exposed to high levels of pure oxygen, one in 10,000 patients develop a complication called oxygen toxicity that can cause seizures, fluid in the lungs, and respiratory failure, says the American Cancer Society. Prevention of oxygen toxicity includes allowing patients to breathe regular air at regular intervals during treatment and limiting treatments to levels and durations that are known to be safe. Contraindications to HBOT include emphysema with carbon dioxide retention, respiratory disorders or seizure disorders, according to Aurora Health Care.
Visual Problems
Temporary vision changes may occur in patients older than 40 after 20 or more treatments, says the Aurora Health Care. Blurred vision, worsening of myopia or near-sightedness, or improvement of far-sightedness may last for up to six weeks after treatment ends. Some cataracts mature or ripen after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Patients with a history of optic neuritis should not undergo HBOT.
Embolism or Pneumothorax
If the patient holds her breath during rapid decompression in the hyperbaric chamber, her lung may rupture and allow air to escape of into the arteries or chest cavity, according to Aurora Health Care. Prevention includes slow decompressions and instructing patients to breath normally during treatment. Contraindications include a history of chest surgery or lesions.
Fatigue
Mild side effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy include fatigue, headaches, claustrophobia and other mild reactions, according to the American Cancer Society. Most wound therapy patients receive treatments five days a week for a total of 20 or 30 days, but the length of the sessions and the air pressure used may require adjustment based on the patient's response to treatment, says Aurora Health Care.
