Category: HBOT Blog

There are two basic types of HBOT – high pressure HBOT and mild HBOT.

• High pressure HBOT treatments are delivered in a hard-sided chamber typically at pressures greater than 1.5 ATA, using 100% oxygen.
• Mild HBOT takes place at lower pressures (typically 1.5 ATA or below), with 90-95% oxygen, inside a portable. soft-sided chamber.
• In clinical trials to date, there has been virtually no difference in outcome between mild HBOT and high pressure HBOT.

Hyperbaric Vermont’s facilities provide mild HBOT, with concentrated oxygen (90-95%) at 1.3 ATA.

Some patients express concern that they will feel claustrophobic inside the chamber. Fortunately, our chambers are made of translucent material, have windows, and actually feel very light and roomy once they’re fully inflated.

High-pressure oxygen therapy does require managing the safety risk of using 100% oxygen and the possibility of oxygen toxicity. However, mild HBOT, which we use, offers the same physiological benefits for most conditions with only minor, temporary potential side effects.

Seizure from oxygen toxicity is a risk related to pressures typically greater than 2.0 ATA and is unheard of below 1.5 ATA.

Please feel free to contact us to find out if Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can work for you.

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In the world of Hollywood, actors often find themselves in dangerous and physically demanding situations for the sake of their craft. Jeremy Renner, known for his roles in blockbuster movies like “The Avengers” and “The Bourne Legacy,” faced one such harrowing incident when he was involved in a nearly fatal snowplow accident. This incident brought to light the remarkable benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in his recovery journey.

The Snowplow Accident

In the winter of 2020, Renner had an accident at his home when he was run over by a snow plow he was using to help his nephew get a vehicle out of the snow. Renner was crushed under the 14,000+ pound plow, resulting in blunt chest trauma and over 30 broken bones, requiring multiple surgeries. As a dedicated actor known for his physically demanding roles, this was undoubtedly a significant setback.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: A Lifesaver

We should note that due to the severity of his injuries, Renner has been treating at 2 atmospheres, which is considered high pressure.

At Hyperbaric Vermont, we use mild HBOT at 1.3 atmospheres, which for most conditions is just as effective, and it’s our mission to raise awareness about HBOT to ensure treatment is readily available and affordable for Vermonters who need it. 

Enhanced Understanding About The Science Behind HBOT

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy works on the principle of increasing the amount of oxygen in the body beyond what the bloodstream can normally carry. By exposing patients to higher-than-normal atmospheric pressure in a hyperbaric chamber, oxygen saturates all the body’s fluids and tissues, including organs, joint fluid, and cerebro-spinal fluid. 

This increased oxygen supply helps the body repair and regenerate damaged tissues more efficiently for more optimal wound healing. 

What Are Some of the Benefits of HBOT?

Patients are turning to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Vermont for:

• Accelerated Healing: HBOT can promote the growth of new blood vessels and enhance the body’s natural healing processes. This, in turn, speeds up recovery from injuries, including bone fractures, burns, and soft tissue injuries.
• Reduction of Inflammation: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has anti-inflammatory effects, which can help reduce swelling and alleviate pain, as in Renner’s case.
• Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injuries: HBOT has shown promise in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) by improving oxygen supply to the brain and reducing inflammation, which may help with cognitive recovery.
• Enhanced Immune System: The increased oxygen levels can bolster the immune system, making it more effective in fighting off infections and promoting overall health
• Improved Energy and Well-being: Many users of HBOT report increased energy levels, improved sleep, and an overall sense of wellbeing.

Renner’s Remarkable Recovery and The Future of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Renner’s journey to recovery after the snowplow accident was undoubtedly challenging, but hyperbaric oxygen therapy has played a vital role in his healing process. The increased oxygen supply to his damaged tissues has helped expedite healing.

Renner’s positive experience with hyperbaric oxygen therapy is just one example of the potential benefits of this treatment for individuals dealing with injuries, chronic conditions, and even those aiming to simply feel healthier. 

As research on HBOT continues, it may become a more mainstream therapy for various health and wellness applications.

Do you want to know whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help you? Contact Hyperbaric Vermont and share your story with us. 

All photos courtesy of Jeremy Renner’s Instagram.

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A big part of Hyperbaric Vermont’s mission is to raise awareness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Vermont, and increase access across the state. Part of how we do this is through our Affiliate program.

Hyperbaric Vermont’s affiliates are independent providers located around the region who have completed our certification program, agree to provide care consistent with Hyperbaric Vermont’s recommended procedures, and utilize our fee schedule. They are:

• Hardwick Chiropractic and Hyperbaric Center – East Hardwick, VT
• Blue Skies Hyperbaric – Middlebury, VT
• Gentle Hyperbaric – Brattleboro, VT
• GrassRoots Functional Medicine – West Lebanon, NH

Because of the broad geographic distribution, we’re able to ensure that HBOT treatments are easier to get to – especially for people challenged by chronic, debilitating conditions.

Now included in that roster is Hope and Healing Hyperbarics, LLC in Rutland, headed up by Kristen Nugent. Kristen has a bachelor’s in both psychology and elementary education and was formerly a teacher/classroom counselor, and EEE supervisor. 

Roughly a decade ago, Kristen morphed her experience into a dog training career, creating her business — Canine Culture. She wanted an environment with an emphasis on creating better humans through their dogs. With a strong interest in behavior and our brains, Kristen is currently looking to further her education with an appropriate Master’s program geared toward mental health and preventative wellness.

Around the time she began working with dogs, she was the first to notice a change in her father’s brain health, which turned into a slow progression of dementia. Kristen came across Hyperic Oxygen Therapy in looking for treatment options. Though her father would never agree to try it, she continued to research the benefits of HBOT, determined to make HBOT her next business venture. She wanted to help people overcome personal/mental health battles while also working on herself. 

“I am so grateful I found Dr. Johnstone and Hyperbaric Vermont to lock arms with!

– Kristen Nugent

Kristen is excited to partner with Hyperbaric Vermont, saying that “prevention is a priority.” She speaks often about it in regards to both human and canine behavior where we “desperately need to take control of our health in ways that prevent, instead of reacting once we are ill.”

When Kristen first knew she wanted to pursue HBOT, there was an eagerness to do whatever it took to make her dreams a reality. After finally purchasing the HBOT equipment, she started speaking with providers in North Carolina who had been offering the service for years.

However, she found there wasn’t much concern with the medical significance HBOT holds. Kristen put the brakes on her pursuit, determined to find a medical professional with the knowledge and training to ensure her HBOT venture was fully informed and properly affiliated. 

“I am so grateful I found Dr. Johnstone and Hyperbaric Vermont to lock arms with! Having such a valuable resource, as well as knowledgeable and experienced professionals puts my mind and heart at ease to go forward accordingly; I’m sure my clients will feel the same way!”

Kristen is eager to help patients in a safe, effective, science-based way as well as spread the word and knowledge about the benefits of HBOT. She’s hopeful her HBOT venture will lead her down the path of serving others in a new and different way.

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At Hyperbaric Vermont, we aim to spread awareness about the helpful healing benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). This growing medical treatment involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized hyperbaric chamber in one of our offices or affiliates across the Green Mountain State.

Once used to treat conditions such as decompression sickness or “the bends” in deep-sea divers, the FDA approved HBOT for a variety of health issues. Beyond that, patients have seen life-changing improvements with Lyme Disease, Long COVID, and more.

 Here are ten reasons why you might consider trying Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:

1. Enhanced Healing: HBOT increases the oxygen levels in your body, promoting faster wound healing and tissue repair. It’s used to aid recovery from surgeries, injuries, and even chronic non-healing wounds.
2. Improved Brain Function: Oxygen is essential for brain health. HBOT has shown promise in improving cognitive function and memory in conditions like traumatic brain injuries and cognitive decline. HBOT is also great for brain fog, so it can be helpful for those dealing with MS, Lyme, long-COVID, and  chemotherapy.
3. Reduced Inflammation: Inflammation is at the root of many health issues. HBOT can help reduce inflammation by increasing the oxygen supply to inflamed tissues, thereby supporting the body’s natural healing processes.
4. Faster Injury Recovery: Athletes and fitness enthusiasts can benefit from HBOT as it accelerates the recovery of strained muscles and sports-related injuries.
5. Support for Cancer Treatment: While not a stand-alone cancer treatment, HBOT can complement conventional therapies. It helps enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy and chemotherapy by increasing oxygen levels in tumor tissues.
6. Pain Management: Chronic pain conditions like migraines, fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome may find relief through HBOT. Improved oxygenation can help alleviate pain and discomfort.
7. Diabetic Wound Care: People with diabetes often struggle with slow-healing wounds. HBOT can aid in healing diabetic ulcers and preventing potential complications.
8. Anti-Aging Benefits: Oxygen plays a vital role in addressing mild cognitive impairment,  tissue healing, enhancing mitochondrial functioning and other age-related concerns, including maintaining skin health. HBOT may promote collagen production, potentially reducing the appearance of wrinkles and improving skin elasticity.
9. Immune System Support: Oxygen is crucial for immune cell function. By increasing oxygen availability, HBOT can bolster the immune system, helping the body fight infections more effectively and normalizing immune function in autoimmune conditions.
10. Neurological Conditions: HBOT shows promise in treating conditions like dementia, Parkinsons, autism, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy. Increased oxygen levels in the brain can lead to positive neurological changes.

While Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is one of the safest medical treatments available and has numerous potential benefits, it’s essential to consult with a medical professional before starting any new treatment.

Are you ready to explore what HBOT has to offer and its potential advantages — from healing and recovery to supporting overall wellbeing? Talk to us today.

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You may have heard about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Vermont and wonder what it is and how it will improve your health.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized environment, typically in a chamber. This therapeutic approach has gained popularity due to its potential to enhance various aspects of health and wellbeing. 

Here are five ways hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve your overall health:

1. Enhanced Oxygen Supply to Tissues: One of the fundamental benefits of HBOT in Vermont is its ability to deliver a higher concentration of oxygen to the body’s tissues and cells. Under increased atmospheric pressure, the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity significantly increases, promoting oxygen saturation in areas with limited circulation. This oxygen-rich environment supports cellular metabolism, aiding in tissue repair and recovery.
2. Accelerated Wound Healing: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has proven to be exceptionally effective in accelerating wound healing, especially in cases of non-healing wounds, diabetic ulcers, and radiation injuries. It’s also effective for internal sounds, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
3. Reduced Inflammation: Chronic inflammation is associated with numerous health issues, including autoimmune diseases, long COVID, Lyme disease and chronic pain syndromes. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to modulate inflammatory responses by influencing cytokine production and reducing oxidative stress. By creating an anti-inflammatory environment, HBOT may resolve underlying inflammation, alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life for individuals dealing with inflammatory conditions.
4. Neurological Benefits: Research suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy could offer neurological benefits, particularly for conditions like traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and degenerative neurological disorders. The increased oxygen supply reduces brain swelling, promotes neuroplasticity, and aids in the recovery of brain function after injury. 
5. Enhanced Athletic Performance and Recovery: Athletes are increasingly turning to hyperbaric oxygen therapy to enhance their performance and speed recovery. The increased oxygen levels in the body can reduce muscle fatigue, aid in removing lactic acid, and promote the repair of muscle and connective tissue microtrauma after intense exercise. This can lead to improved endurance, reduced muscle soreness, and faster overall recovery.

HBOT has the potential to offer a range of health benefits, from improving oxygen supply to tissues and accelerating wound healing to reducing inflammation and supporting neurological recovery.

As ongoing research continues to uncover the full extent of its capabilities, individuals interested in exploring treatment should consider discussing the potential benefits of HBOT with us. 

Contact Hyperbaric Vermont today for more information about how we make treatment options and packages available for all patients.

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Vermont might sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but it’s a real medical treatment gaining popularity for its potential healing benefits. This non-invasive procedure involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized hyperbaric oxygen chamber, offering a range of health advantages. If you’re new to the concept of HBOT, here’s a beginner’s guide to help you understand its benefits, applications, and safety.

How Does HBOT Work?

In a typical HBOT session, you enter a chamber that’s pressurized to higher-than-normal atmospheric pressure while breathing 95% pure oxygen. At Hyperbaric Vermont, our chambers pressurize to 1.3 atmospheres, which is mild, effective, and easily tolerated by the body. The increased pressure enables your body to absorb more oxygen, which promotes healing and reduces inflammation. This oxygen-rich environment encourages the body’s natural healing processes.

What Are Some Benefits of HBOT?

At Hyperbaric Vermont and our affiliates, we aim to spread awareness about the many benefits HBOT can offer patients including:

• Faster Healing: HBOT stimulates the growth of new blood vessels and increases oxygen supply to tissues, accelerating the healing of wounds, fractures, and surgical incisions.
• Reduced Inflammation: The therapy can help reduce swelling and inflammation by enhancing the body’s antioxidant defenses and promoting the removal of harmful free radicals.
• Improved Oxygenation: HBOT is used to treat conditions like carbon monoxide poisoning and decompression sickness by quickly increasing oxygen levels in the body. This can be helpful for COVID as well, where hypoxia can seriously threaten organ function
• Neurological Benefits: Studies suggest that HBOT aids neurological conditions like stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and neurodegenerative disorders by boosting oxygen supply to the brain, helping regenerate brain tissue, addressing chronic inflammation, activating idling neurons, and remyelinating neurons.
• Enhanced Immune Response: HBOT is a natural antimicrobial, and normalizes immune function, aiding in the fight against infections and enhancing the body’s defense mechanisms.

What Conditions Can HBOT Help Treat?

HBOT has been studied and approved by medical professionals for various conditions, including non-healing wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, radiation injuries, and certain types of infections. It’s also being explored as an adjunctive therapy for conditions like:

• Lyme Disease
• Long COVID
• Traumatic brain injury
• Multiple sclerosis
• Autism
• Cerebral palsy

HBOT is safe, non-toxic, and at Hyperbaric Vermont, administered by trained professionals. 

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Vermont is an innovative treatment offering a range of potential benefits, from wound healing to aiding in the management of neurological conditions. 

While research is ongoing to fully understand its capabilities, at Hyperbaric Vermont, we’ve treated hundreds of patients with very promising results. To get started, reach out to us today. Our team can answer your questions and help you find the best way to make the most out of your sessions.

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Photos by Alexander Mils and Emil Kalibradov on Unsplash

While Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a highly effective, well-researched modality for treating a broad range of injuries and illnesses, and despite the fact that it’s widely used around the world, the politics of health care in the US have resulted in HBOT only being FDA-approved for 14 conditions. This means insurance only covers treatment for those specific conditions, forcing most people seeking treatment to pay out of pocket.

The average cost of HBOT treatment in Vermont is over $400/session, and many conditions require 20-40 sessions. For the majority of people, that price would make regaining their health financially inaccessible. Hyperbaric Vermont was founded as a non-profit specifically to address that problem. 

By charging patients around $65-70/session, fundraising to make up the difference, and frequently gifting treatments to those patients in need, we are able to see far more people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this care.

We also offer pre-paid, discounted packages of 10, 20, 30, and 40 sessions, putting the average cost of treatment even lower than if patients paid one session at a time.

Our fee schedule is as follows:

CONSULT AND FIRST 60-MIN CHAMBER TREATMENT

• Intake consult with prescription from our office, plus first 60-min chamber treatment  – $125.00
• Intake consult with prescription from outside provider, plus first 60-min chamber treatment – $115.00

TIME OF SERVICE AND PRE-PAY CHARGES

• Up to 60 minute session (pay per visit) – $90.00
• Up to 90 minute session (pay per visit) – $125.00

Up TO 60-MINUTE PRE-PAID PACKAGE DISCOUNTS

• $835.00 for 10 sessions
• $1485.00 for 20 sessions
• $2035.00 for 30 sessions
• $2485.00 for 40 sessions

Up TO 90-MINUTE PRE-PAID PACKAGE DISCOUNTS

• $1085.00 for 10 sessions
• $1950.00 for 20 sessions
• $2650.00 for 30 sessions
• $3300.00 for 40 sessions

Go to our Treatment page for greater details.

Additionally, there are a number of organizations and funds available to help defray the costs of treating many common illnesses, including Autism, Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, and Lyme.

Help Hope Live offers community-based fundraising for people with unmet medical and related expenses due to catastrophic injuries and illnesses.

There are also a number of funding sources specifically for current and former members of the armed forces.

Please visit our Resources page for more information.

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Photos by Diana Polekhina and Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Flux Magazine just came out with an article on modern medical solutions for wound treatment, and we were pleased to see Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy listed among the various modalities. We also saw a recent article from Film Daily about using HBOT for burn wounds.

HBOT is great for wound healing, in part because, as HBOT expert Dr. Paul Harch, author of The Oxygen Revolution, says, “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy exerts its wound-healing effects by expression and suppression of thousands of genes. The dominant gene actions are up-regulation of trophic and anti-inflammatory genes and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory and apoptotic genes.” 

In non-scientific language, that basically means that HBOT influence the genes which help with healing. Plus, oxygen itself is profoundly healing, and when you flood the body with oxygen, it accelerates healing. This is why we have patients come to see us both before and after getting surgery.

Additionally, when it comes to the challenge of non-healing wounds, like diabetic wounds, HBOT addresses non-healing wounds in all tissue types, which is unique. There are no medications which can do that.

Of course, the irony in calling HBOT a “modern” medical treatment is that it was originally invented in the 1600s by British physician Dr. Nathaniel Henshaw, who is credited as the first person to use compressed air in a chamber called a domicilium.

Then, in the 1830s French physician Dr. Junod built a hyperbaric chamber to treat patients with pulmonary issues.

In 1861, the first hyperbaric chamber in the US was built in New York by Dr. James Leonard Corning to treat Hudson Tunnel workers who got sick from working below sea level.

In the 1920s, Kansas physician Dr. Orval J. Cunningham used HBOT to treat Spanish Flu, syphilis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. He actually built a 5-story steel ball hospital to treat patients.

In the 1930s Brazilian physicians Dr. Ozorio de Almeida and Dr. Costa used HBOT to treat leprosy.

In the 1970s, Dr. Boschetty and Dr. Cernoch of Czechoslovakia conduct a successful trial of HBOT for multiple sclerosis.

In 1980Dr. Richard A. Neubauer and Dr. William S. Maxfield formed the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine. The International Society of Hyperbaric Medicine was founded in 1988.

So, we guess it’s “modern” in the sense that it wasn’t used in Biblical times. That we know of…

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A new study may explain how long-COVID results in long-term dysfunction, brain fog, fatigue and cognitive impairment. 

Published Aug. 9th in Science Translational Medicine, the research describes how SARS-CoV-2 disrupts mitochondria, increasing glycolysis (how glucose gets broken down in the cells) and reducing ATP production (how food gets turned into energy), leading to impaired function of the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and brain, among other organs. 

Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells – as well as those of animals and fungi. They’re equipped with their own DNA, and are tasked with making ATP, the fuel our bodies run on. They generate the energy which drives cellular functioning, as well as most of our biological processes.

While all cells, except for red blood cells, have mitochondria, they’re found in the highest concentrations in muscle and nerve cells, which require more energy to function properly.

Additionally, mitochondria store calcium ions, which are needed for blood clotting and muscle contraction. They also produce the iron used by red blood cells when they transport oxygen, and they may have the capacity to trigger the death of cells.

This sheds some light on why HBOT is one of the most promising COVID and long-COVID treatments, particularly when addressing fatigue and cognitive impairment.

In addition to reducing hypoxic stress on organs (when organs don’t have enough oxygen) and having a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, HBOT may provide the key to restarting our mitochondrial engines. 

Another recent study demonstrated that HBOT increases mitochondrial mass and cellular energy levels. This means that along with treating COVID, this supports what we already know about HBOT’s value in the treatment of chronic Lyme, cancer, ME/CSF (chronic fatigue) and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and Huntington’s disease.

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