Decreased Edema
The condition of edema occurs when too much water fluid accumulates in the cavities or tissues of the body. Edema can occur anywhere, from the brain (cerebral edema) to the heart (pulmonary edema). Since edema increases tissue pressure and restricts circulation, it automatically stunts wound recovery.
HBOT decreases edema since it stimulates better circulation. The fluids built up inside the body can move through the body to be filtered and eliminated. As a result, injured tissues become better oxygenated and healing can finally continue.
Tissue Hyperoxygenation
When tissue becomes hyperoxygenated through HBOT treatment, it becomes saturated with the oxygen known to stimulate healing. Hyperoxygenated tissues undergo reepithelialization, which is an increase in the epithelial cells responsible for closing wounds and forming a barrier on the skin.
Research shows that tissue hyperoxygenation through HBOT can increase the rate of wound closure by as much as 69 percent! This is an especially powerful benefit for adults with diabetes who are at higher risk of non-healing wounds.
Enhanced Antibacterial Activity By Leukocytes
When the body becomes flooded with oxygen through a treatment like HBOT, antibacterial activity immediately increases. Leukocytes, a type of white blood cell, gain strength and momentum from oxygen. They’re able to more effectively kill dangerous bacteria and free radicals while also removing dead cellular debris. Studies show that leukocytes perform best at oxygen levels above 300 mmHg, levels only achievable with supplemental oxygen through HBOT.
Increased Angiogenesis
Angiogenesis is the essential function of creating new blood vessels. Without angiogenesis, tissue cannot survive or undergo repair after injury. Since oxygen levels in the body directly influence the rate and quality of angiogenesis, only a treatment like HBOT can directly stimulate and improve the creation of new blood vessels.
HBOT also supports optimal collagen synthesis, one of the most vital components of blood vessel development. Collagen is the primary component of skin and accounts for as much as 80% of our skin’s dry weight. It functions as the structural scaffold of skin by organizing itself into bundles of interwoven fibers. Collagen can’t develop without collagen, and new capillary tubes can’t gain strength without collagen.
All of this makes oxygen absolutely necessary for any level of healing within the body.
Synergistic Effects With Antibiotics
Doctors prescribe antibiotics to combat bacterial infections in the body, but antibiotics can’t always sustain results alone. Research indicates that HBOT works synergistically with antibiotics as an adjunctive treatment.
In other words, HBOT maximizes the effects of antibiotics by optimizing oxygen levels in the body and enhancing leukocytes to kill dangerous bacteria. Some studies even show that the length of time using antibiotic therapy can be reduced with the use of HBOT.
Stimulate Growth Factors
When HBOT treatment saturates the body with 100% pure oxygen, the growth factors in blood platelets become activated. Growth factors are extremely powerful proteins that regulate growth and differentiation of cells in the body. They also stimulate the major components of wound healing like leukocytes and fibroblast. Since HBOT stimulates growth factor activity, it in turn nurtures the best conditions for wound healing.
This is exactly why HBOT has become so popular for athletes with injuries. They don’t want to sit out on the bench for weeks or months before returning to play. HBOT gives athletes the opportunity to accelerate their healing process and get back on the field.
These six hyperbaric oxygen therapy benefits demonstrate the incredible power of pressurized oxygen to rejuvenate, heal, and revitalize the body’s core functions. A series of HBOT treatments can transform the body and reverse chronic injuries.