Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment technique that increases oxygen delivery to the body's tissues and organs by administering pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Modern medical uses of hyperbaric oxygen therapy evolved from aerospace and military interests in the effects of pressure on the human body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy proves beneficial for the treatment of several serious medical conditions.
Alleviation of Decompression Sickness
Decompression sickness occurs when a rapid decrease in the external pressure on the body leads to formation of internal gas bubbles. A rapid ascent while deep-sea diving or an extreme pressure change during flight can lead to decompression sickness. Symptoms arise because of the presence of gas bubbles in the tissues or bloodstream.
Type I decompression sickness involves the muscles, joints and skin. Symptoms involve itching, rash and intense joint and muscle pain, notes The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Type II decompression sickness affects the nervous system and internal organs. Symptoms may include confusion, weakness, tingling, numbness, dizziness, cough and shortness of breath. Seizures and coma may develop in severe cases.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reverses the process that leads to decompression sickness. Placing the patient in the pressurized hyperbaric chamber redissolves bubbled-up gas. Approximately 80 percent of patients with decompression sickness recover fully with prompt hyperbaric oxygen treatment, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Recovery from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odorless gas produced during burning of fuels, such as gasoline, kerosene, natural gas and wood. Poor ventilation in an area with a wood stove, gas water heater or a kerosene or gas space heater may lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. People trapped in a fire may also suffer carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide poisoning interferes with the transport of oxygen by the red blood cells. Symptoms reflect the adverse effects of carbon monoxide on the brain and may include dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting and confusion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seizures and potentially life-threatening coma may develop in severe cases.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may prove beneficial to patients with severe carbon monoxide poisoning. The highly concentrated oxygen may force carbon monoxide out of the red blood cells, restoring the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library recommends consideration of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for carbon monoxide poisoning patients who have a decreased level of consciousness, persistent chest pain and heart or lung complications.
Improved Outcome for Gas Gangrene
Gas gangrene is a rapidly progressive, destructive tissue infection most commonly caused by the bacterium clostridium perfringens. In low-oxygen environments, the bacteria produce toxic proteins that destroy tissue, explains MedlinePlus. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may help decrease the production of clostridium toxins, slowing tissue destruction.
The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society recommends a multilevel treatment approach for patients with gas gangrene, including surgery to remove diseased tissue, antibiotics to fight infection and hyperbaric oxygen therapy to reduce the production of bacterial toxins. The Society reports that early treatment of gas gangrene with hyperbaric oxygen therapy reduces the amputation and death rates associated with this serious infection.
