We just received an email testimonial from a 69-year old former highway department supervisor from upstate New York:
I had several surgeries for oral cancer followed by chemotherapy and radiation. I subsequently developed post-radiation issues and was experiencing headaches and facial tightness that was impacting my everyday life. I couldn’t do many of the outdoor activities that I love, like fishing and hiking.
I began HBOT in September, 2022 which really helped to lessen the severity of my symptoms. After having surgery and a skin graft in April 2023, I restarted HBOT and it made a big difference in how quickly my wound healed.
Overall the treatments helped me regain my energy and made my recovery move along much faster than it normally would have. I have returned to doing all of the activities that I love to do, thanks to the benefits that I received from HBOT!!
P.S. The staff is phenomenal!!
– M.H,
Cancer – any kind of cancer – is hard enough. The consequences of chemo and radiation make facing cancer treatment that much more difficult. We are beyond honored when we can help someone feel like their vitality and their whole self has been restored.
Here’s wishing M.H. all the fishing and hiking he can handle!
One of the most common questions people ask us about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) other than “Will it help me?” is “What’s it like inside the chamber?” Some folks get concerned that the small area inside a chamber might make them feel claustrophobic or that the increased pressure will feel overwhelming.
Other people wonder if there’s a difference between a soft chamber and a hard chamber, or whether high pressure is better than low pressure.
Fortunately, these are fairly straightforward questions to answer. But first, let’s give a little background.
The Pressure
Pressure (what puts the BARIC in hyperbaric) is part of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy’s secret sauce. At normal atmospheric pressure (1 ATA), oxygen in the air you breathe is picked up in the lungs by the red blood cells, and carried throughout the body by the circulatory system – the network of arteries and vessels through which blood travels. This is how most medication gets delivered as well.
However, when you increase atmospheric pressure (that’s where HYPER comes from), oxygen is forced into all of the fluids and tissues of the body, including places the circulatory system doesn’t reach.
The Oxygen
Oxygen speeds healing in all kinds of tissues (bone, muscle, organ), and is also:
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-viral
Anti-microbial
These effects are valuable for responding to a wide range of conditions.
Pressure + Oxygen = Healing
Pressure and oxygen together allow for all manner of healing on genetic, physiological, and energetic levels. But not all pressure is created equal.
High Pressure (over 2 ATA) is generally good for acute, immediate, critical issues like decompression sickness, dangerous burns, life-threatening infections, and crush injuries.
High pressure treatments generally take place in a hospital setting using a hard chamber, and with patients breathing 100% oxygen. These treatments, which are for FDA-approved conditions need to be carefully monitored for oxygen toxicity and any potential adverse effects on the nervous system. We should also note that insurance only covers HBOT for FDA-approved conditions.
Low pressure (1.75 ATA) and Mild HBOT (1.5 ATA and below) generally works well for longer term, chronic conditions. At Hyperbaric Vermont, we use soft chambers at 1.3 ATA, with patients breathing approximately 95% oxygen. 1.3 ATA is much less challenging on the nervous system, and at 95% oxygen, there is no danger of building up oxygen toxicity.
Curiously enough, there have been HBOT studies which used less than 1.3 ATA as a control, and discovered that even a little bit of increased pressure has the capacity to be an “active biological intervention.”
Chamber Construction
The material the chamber is made of – basically hard vs. soft – has little relevance. What’s more important is the level of pressure required to treat your particular condition.
Of course, every person is different, and specific needs and conditions will dictate any individual’s course of treatment.
Inside The Chamber
Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, once you get inside the hyperbaric chamber, we turn on motorized compressors to inflate the chamber and an oxygen concentrator to send you oxygen. The concentrator is a simple device which pulls nitrogen out of room air, and sends you enriched (between 92-97%) oxygen.
Both our horizontal and vertical chambers are made of translucent material, and have windows, so there is a great deal of light and a feeling of spaciousness – even when the diameter of the chambers isn’t that large.
Once the chamber is fully inflated, a member of our patient care team will start closing a valve which will slowly bring the pressure in the chamber up to 1.3 ATA. While we can hold you at a lower pressure if needed, the chambers are automatically set to go to a maximum of 1.3 ATA, and cannot go any higher.
You won’t feel the pressure increase physically – there’s no feeling of being squeezed by a boa constrictor or having an elephant standing on your head. However, you might feel pressure change in your ears, much like when you’re taking off or landing in a plane.
Similar to takeoff and landing, there are easy ways to clear your ears, including chewing gum (which we can provide) or holding your nose and blowing gently. Our team can also work with you to manage the rate of pressure change for your greatest degree of comfort.
Once you’re at pressure, you’ll remain in the chamber for an hour or so. While many people watch movies, read, or talk on the phone, we generally encourage patients to close their eyes and relax. It’s a great opportunity to nap knowing that NOBODY is going to bug you while you’re in the chamber!
Our staff will check in on you periodically to make sure you’re comfortable. You’ll also have a 2-way radio to communicate with staff whenever you like.
Ending The Session
At the end of your session, the whole process will be reversed. A member of our patient care team will slowly open the valve and release the pressure in the chamber. Hopefully you’ll have had a nice nap, and will come out feeling refreshed.
If you’re at all nervous about getting into a chamber, our staff is happy to have you come for a visit to show you around the office, let you explore the chambers, and ask any questions before you climb in for treatment.
Feel free to get in touch with us to schedule a visit. We look forward to serving your health and wellness needs!
A question we get frequently has to do with how long the benefits of HBOT treatment last. Our favorite HBOT spokesguy, Dr. Jason Sonners, has a great 5-minute video on exactly this question.
But for those of you in a rush, the Cliff’s Notes version of his answer is:
Short term benefits can last as long as the oxygen you breathe remains in circulation in your body. This is dependent on the kind of tissues utilizing oxygen. For example, the brain uses oxygen much faster than adipose (fat) tissue. But in general, effects can last 4-12 hours.
Long term benefits have to do with the kinds of cellular changes which result from repetitive exposure. While there’s still a great more research to be done, Dr. Sonners suggests there can be 4-6 weeks of continued improvement after the end of a treatment protocol.
For a deeper dive on the benefits, check out his video:
We’ve been keeping our eye on Celine Dion, as we know she’s had to cancel all her 2024 tour dates due to the effects of Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), which is a rare disorder of the central nervous system. Folks with SPS experience rigid muscles, muscle spasms, and a great deal of chronic pain.
“There are spasms – they’re impossible to control. You know who people often jump up in the night because of a cramp in the leg or the calf? It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles. There’s little we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain.”
While there is no current research on HBOT and SPS, the NIH reports that SPS is closely linked with autoimmune diseases. We do know about HBOT’s positive effect on other autoimmune disorders such as lupus, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, and scleroderma, so it’s not unreasonable to think that HBOT could help ease the effects of SPS.
Additionally, HBOT is well-known for its ability to:
Support immune modulation
Reduce inflammation
Speed tissue healing and regeneration
Enhance oxygenation
Increase neuroplasticity
Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, we’ve had success treating patients with autoimmune disorders and other neurological challenges like MS:
So, there’s every reason to think that HBOT could help Ms. Dion with SPS. Fortunately, South Burlington is pretty close to Montreal, and we’d welcome her to our offices any time.
Even if you’re not a global superstar, if you’re struggling with autoimmune disorders, don’t suffer. Get in touch with us. We’re here to help.
We’re big fans of Dr. Jason Sonners, and appreciate how articulate he is about the value and merits of HBOT.
In this video, he speaks with Dr. Nick Jensen and Dr. David Wardy to discuss why he incorporated HBOT into his practice, how HBOT works and why nothing else is able to do what hyperbaric therapy can do.
People often ask us if animals can do HBOT, and if they like it.
While we can’t speak for all animals, it’s probably worth having a chat with Luca, who had a spinal injury, healed with HBOT, and now can’t really be kept out of his human Kelly’s chamber.
Whether you’re one of so many men who struggle silently, or you’re already taking steps to improve your erectile dysfunction, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Vermont is a treatment you may not have thought about trying.
While HBOT is anything but “new,” (its history dates back to the mid-1600s) it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as of July 2021 to assist with treating the following disorders:
Air and gas bubbles in blood vessels
Anemia (severe anemia when blood transfusions cannot be used)
Burns (severe and large burns treated at a specialized burn center)
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Crush injury
Decompression sickness (diving risk)
Gas gangrene
Hearing loss (complete hearing loss that occurs suddenly and without any known cause)
Infection of the skin and bone (severe)
Radiation injury
Skin graft flap at risk of tissue death
Vision loss (when sudden and painless in one eye due to blockage of blood flow)
Wounds (non-healing, diabetic foot ulcers)
HBOT is even being studied for how it can help folks struggling with issues related to COVID-19 or Long COVID with clinical trials now being conducted, along with many other conditions. Research is ongoing, but showing promising results.
Can HBOT Potentially Improve My Erectile Dysfunction?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. While it is not a primary or widely accepted treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), some studies have explored its potential benefits for improving sexual function in men. Here are a few ways in which HBOT may help men who struggle with ED:
Improved Blood Flow
ED is often related to inadequate blood flow to the penis. HBOT can increase the oxygen content in the blood, which may enhance blood vessel function and promote better circulation. Improved blood flow can lead to better erections and overall sexual function.
Tissue Repair
HBOT has been used to promote the healing of damaged or injured tissues. In the context of ED, it may help repair any microvascular or nerve damage that contributes to the condition, potentially restoring normal erectile function.
Reducing Inflammation
Inflammation can play a role in various health conditions, including those affecting sexual function. HBOT has anti-inflammatory properties, which might help reduce inflammation in the penile tissues and improve erectile function.
Stimulating Growth Of New Blood Vessels
Some studies suggest that HBOT may promote the development of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). This could enhance blood flow to the genital area, aiding in erectile function.
Addressing Stress, Anxiety, And Fatigue
These issues can be related to sleep disorders that may be causative of or contribute to ED.
It’s important to note that, while it is very low risk, the use of HBOT for ED is not universally accepted, and research in this area is ongoing. In the US, it is considered an experimental and off-label use of the therapy. ED can have various causes, including psychological factors, lifestyle choices, and underlying medical conditions.
As such, it’s crucial for men experiencing ED to consult with a healthcare professional for a proper evaluation and to discuss potential treatments, including conventional medical interventions like medications (e.g., Viagra, Cialis), psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, or other approved treatments.
How Do I Get Started with HBOT in Vermont?
Do you want to learn more about HBOT and your condition? Our staff is well-educated in providing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Vermont, and happy to answer all your questions.
Please note that we value your privacy, ensuring all of our platforms and communications are HIPAA-compliant.
His videos are smart, direct, and full of great HBOT facts.
This one, Top 5 Myths About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is great, and does a fantastic job of talking about the difference between high pressure HBOT – which you tend to find in hospitals – and mild HBOT, which is what we offer.
Spoiler Alert: Both are therapeutically effective, and each are appropriate for different conditions.
If you have any additional questions after watching this video, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
