For this blog post we are spreading Alzheimer’s and Dementia Awareness which is a national focus in the month of June because it affects 50 million people worldwide. Alzheimer’s and Dementia can cause problems with short term memory, and affect aspects of daily life like keeping track of your wallet, remembering how to get home, paying bills and planning and preparing meals. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, and can be life-threatening.
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia still do not have a confirmed medical cause.
We do know that plaques form in the brain, and neurons become entangled, but the word is still out on why this occurs. For Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, HBOT helps to reduce brain inflammation, regrow damaged tissue, and restore blood flow to previously lacking areas.
Dementia describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory, reasoning or other thinking skills. Many different types of dementia exist, and many conditions cause it. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used successfully as a treatment for both of these conditions. An article in Science Daily reports some interesting research findings: “After 40 treatments, she reported increased memory and concentration, sleep, conversation, appetite, ability to use the computer, more good days (5/7) than bad days, resolved anxiety, and decreased disorientation and frustration. Tremor, deep knee bend, tandem gain, and motor speed were also improved.”
Here is one more link to an article that talks about how HBOT helps Alzheimer’s patients. https://hyperbaricstudies.com/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-and-alzheimers-disease/
Here are Hyperbaric Vermont we regularly treat patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Here is a testimonial from one of our patients:
“In November 2013, I had a knee replacement in Florida. A month later I was diagnosed with dementia, probably the result of anesthesia. Dr. Grace Johnstone recommended mild oxygen therapy to me and after only 3 visits in the hyperbaric chamber, my family noticed I was much clearer mentally. I continued with 27 more treatments and found that it also helped my spinal stenosis (apparently I stopped complaining of pain every time we traveled over bumps). I now am very much in control of all my faculties and enjoying everyday activities.”
-Andre M.
Recently another patient’s wife shared with us her family’s experience at Hyperbaric Vermont. You can read about Bill’s experience with HBOT and Alzheimer’s here.
If you or someone you know is suffering from severe memory loss, give us a call today to set up a consultation.