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.
As people seek solutions to their challenging medical conditions, the terms “oxygen chambers,” “oxygen therapy,” and “hyperbaric oxygen therapy” often come up. These terms are closely related but represent distinct concepts that can have a significant impact on health and well-being. Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, we feel it’s important to clarify the difference between these terms.
Oxygen Chambers
Oxygen chambers, also known as hyperbaric chambers or oxygen therapy chambers, are specialized enclosures designed to administer hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). These chambers create a controlled environment where patients can breathe oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure. This elevated pressure allows more oxygen to dissolve in the bloodstream, leading to various health benefits.
At Hyperbaric Vermont, our chambers are soft-sided, rather than metal, and are pre-set to pressurize to 1.3 atmospheres. This is known as Mild HBOT. For most conditions, studies have shown that Mild HBOT is an equally – if not more – effective treatment, and it’s much less aggressive on the nervous system.
Oxygen Therapy
Oxygen therapy, a broader term, involves the administration of supplemental oxygen to patients who require higher oxygen levels than what’s available in the ambient air. Oxygen therapy is used to treat a range of medical conditions, from chronic lung diseases to altitude sickness. It can be delivered through various methods, such as nasal cannulas, face masks, and specialized oxygen chambers.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a specific form of oxygen therapy that takes place within a hyperbaric chamber. During HBOT, Hyperbaric Vermont patients breathe in 95% oxygen while exposed to increased atmospheric pressure. This combination of pressurized oxygen delivery enhances the body’s natural healing processes by promoting the perfusion of oxygen in the blood plasma and tissues. HBOT has been found to accelerate wound healing, reduce inflammation, aid in stroke recovery, and improve the symptoms of various conditions like decompression sickness and radiation injury.
Because our patients are breathing 95% oxygen (rather than 100% oxygen found in high pressure HBOT), they don’t run the risk of oxygen toxicity, and there is no danger of combustion in the chamber. Patients are welcome to use their electronic devices while treating.
The Hyperbaric Vermont Difference
Hyperbaric Vermont is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and making this life-changing treatment widely accessible to the Vermont community. With treatment facilities in Montpelier and South Burlington, and affiliates in Brattleboro, East Hardwick, Rutland, Middlebury, and West Lebanon, New Hampshire, we provide a safe and controlled environment for individuals to experience the healing effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Additionally, we are known for:
Expertise
Our Founder and Medical Director, Dr. Grace Johnstone, is certified in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. A chiropractor with three decades of experience, Dr. Johnstone brings both extensive medical knowledge to treating patients, as well as firsthand lived experience with chronic illness, as she came to hyperbaric medicine through her experience contracting Lyme Disease, which resulted in severe meningitis and radiculoneuritis.
Dr. Johnstone was completely incapacitated for a year, until intensive hyperbaric oxygen therapy brought her back to the chiropractic practice she loves, the active lifestyle she enjoys, and the energy and determination to share this powerful healing modality with others.
Mission
Our mission is to spread awareness about the potential of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and make it available and accessible to as many individuals as possible.
Multiple Treatment Centers
Hyperbaric Vermont directly offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy at our treatment facilities in Montpelier and South Burlington. Additionally, our network of affiliates extends our reach and impact around the state.
Health Benefits
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been linked to numerous health benefits, including enhanced wound healing, improved neurological function, increased energy, and reduced inflammation and brain fog. Our therapy sessions can aid in addressing a wide variety of medical conditions and improve overall well-being.
Understanding the differences between oxygen chambers, oxygen therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy is crucial when seeking medical solutions to persistent challenges. Hyperbaric Vermont stands at the forefront of providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, contributing to improved health and quality of life.
With a commitment to education, accessibility, and cutting-edge treatment, we invite you to explore the world of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and experience the positive impact it can have on your well-being. Your journey toward a healthier, more vibrant life starts here with Hyperbaric Vermont.
According to the CDC, over 476,000 new Lyme disease cases are diagnosed and treated each year, and worldwide, at least 1 in 7 people have been or are currently infected.
Part of the challenge of treating chronic Lyme is that there is no reliable biomarker on which to base testing. So, testing is often not effective and many people go undiagnosed for years.
Also, ticks have the capacity to carry and transmit a wide range of microorganisms all at the same time, making it difficult to distinguish between Lyme and a host of other potential co-infections, including babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF).
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a powerful tool for treating all of these infections – as well as similarly debilitating conditions like mold toxicity. HBOT also increases the effectiveness of most medications used to treat these diseases.
HBOT’s effectiveness comes in part from the fact that oxygen is a natural antimicrobial, so it can combat all the microorganisms which cause Lyme and its co-infections. It’s particularly potent against the anaerobes, which normally hide out in areas of the body which are lower in oxygen due to lack of direct blood supply. Coincidentally, the vascular system of arteries, capillaries, and veins which carry the blood is also how most medications are delivered.
Unlike those medications though, HBOT doesn’t rely on the blood supply to deliver oxygen. Instead, the increased pressure in the hyperbaric chamber sends oxygen directly into all the fluids and tissues of the body – including places where your vascular system doesn’t go – and it reaches all of the microorganisms which cause these diseases.
Equally important, the increased pressure and high levels of oxygen have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, which is crucial in addressing the inflammation these microbes create. Increased pressure and high levels of oxygen also help normalize immune function, and immune dysregulation is one of the effects of these systemic infections.
Curiously enough, one way we know that HBOT is working is when, several treatments in, our Lyme patients start feeling worse! This is a phenomenon known as a Herxheimer reaction, or herxing, and means that the microorganisms causing chronic illness are starting to die off, releasing toxins into the body.
Fortunately there are a number of easy ways to detoxify when herxing, including drinking water, soaking in epsom salt baths, and taking Burbur and Pinella extracts, both of which are extremely safe, and helpful for moving toxins out of the body.
We encourage patients who are herxing to keep up their HBOT treatments and use the detoxification techniques and supplements. We generally find that within a few sessions, symptoms abate, and people start feeling much better overall.
Picturesque Vermont, with its natural beauty and tranquility, can also serve as a beautiful backdrop for stress — whatever circumstances are to blame. Mother Nature reminded us all of this recently with excessive rain, flooding, mudslides, closings, and the potential health risks that follow. Fortunately, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can help restore some of your wellbeing by alleviating the effects of stress-related conditions.
Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
After I joined Hyperbaric Vermont, I was introduced to how this innovative therapy works at our South Burlington office, where patients from all walks of life get treatment inside one of our hyperbaric chambers. While I first thought the chambers looked like something belonging to a space station, I learned that these machines expose our (quite earthbound) bodies to increased atmospheric pressure while we inhale 95% oxygen. This is much safer than the 100% oxygen one gets in higher pressure chambers, which can cause oxygen toxicity or combust.
Great, right? But you’re probably thinking, “What exactly does this have to do with my through-the-roof stress levels?” Well, while you’re relaxing in the chamber, the oxygen is permeating all the fluids and tissues of your body, helping to:
Promote tissue repair
Reduce inflammation
Improve your body’s ability to heal
As a complementary therapy, HBOT has been known to alleviate various conditions such as chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The more I’ve learned, I’ve found that by using HBOT alongside other stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, and nature walks, Vermonters can cultivate a more healthy, holistic approach to managing or maintaining their wellbeing.
The Potential Benefits of HBOT for Stress Relief
Research suggests that HBOT reduces inflammation in the brain and body, a contributing factor to stress-related disorders. So, by increasing oxygen levels in the body and brain, HBOT may enhance mood, cognition, and overall mental wellbeing.
Additionally, the HBOT can aid in improving sleep quality, regulating hormonal imbalances, and boosting the immune system, all of which can be disrupted by acute or chronic stress.
Helping and Healing with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Vermont
As stress continues to be a potent concern in today’s fast-paced world, innovative approaches like HBOT offer hope for people seeking relief and improved wellbeing, and can provide a powerful complement to other stress management techniques, allowing our patients to embrace a holistic approach to their mental, emotional, and physical health.
Hyperbaric Vermont has accessible chambers and knowledgeable medical professionals to guide people like me, and you, through their sessions. We encourage everyone dealing with all levels of short and long term stress to amplify their therapeutic experience by truly disconnecting from the demands of daily life inside the chamber, and making space for your personal healing journey.
Our founder, Dr. Grace Johnstone, just had an email Q&A with a fellow named Adam, who had a number of questions about HBOT that were both pertinent and charming.
These questions are incredibly common for people considering HBOT treatment, and speak to the kind of details that our well-informed patients are thinking about.
We hope you both enjoy and benefit from this exchange between Dr. Grace and Adam:
Adam: Is there any danger of decompressing too quickly from the homeowner style devices? I can’t seem to find any info on that but it would stand to reason that 1.3 -1.5 ATA is not enough pressure to make decompression sickness a concern, regardless of whether one takes 10 minutes to decompress or 1 minute. Is this true?
Dr. Grace: These chambers have been “burst tested” as part of the FDA testing process and no harm to participants was incurred. They are below the threshold to result in decompression sickness. Decompression speed can be controlled by the user, and is normally performed to tolerance – so for some this means gradual decompression over a few minutes, whereas others can open the valve fully and be out in less than a minute.
Adam: There is a facility whose advertisement comes up on Google when the search parameters for the definitions of the measurements of pressure are asked about.
This other place was saying that ATA of 1.3 or 1.5 is sort of a waste of time. I have read a lot of anecdotes to the contrary and was wondering what kind of device you used to treat your Lyme [Ed Note: Dr. Grace first encountered HBOT when she spent a year struggling with Lyme and Meningitis. HBOT was how she healed herself.]?
These folks in question are advocating for the hard shell chamber that can go up to 6 ATA, which seems quite high, and can only be accessed at highly expensive treatment centers. Perhaps they are just trying to funnel all as much of the potential income to their facility as possible, like a whale eating up all the krill?
Or maybe the higher pressures, which aren’t possible for a soft shell unit, really do work better, but the soft shell is still a good option? Sort of like saying having a billion dollars is great but that doesn’t mean that having a million isn’t also pretty darn good?
Dr. Grace: Any increase in pressure has a clinical effect, which is one of the reasons one cannot effectively perform double blind studies w/ mild HBOT as the placebo – which is what they did for years.
This is counter to how we generally approach medicine in the US – more is better, in general, and not what anyone promulgating hospital based high pressure HBOT wants to recognize.
The newer research demonstrates that (with rare exceptions – the bends, for example) mild HBOT is as effective and safer than high pressure HBOT.
High pressure can be stressful to the central nervous system, and one needs to monitor for oxygen toxicity, seizures and the issues one reads about if one searches “risks of HBOT.” Mild HBOT is under the threshold for these issues.
Recent research on COVID and Long COVID, for example, seems to bear this out – the most successful treatment pressures were between 1.2 – 1.6 ATA.
Adam: Is there any danger to staying inside a unit for say, 3 hours? I’m wondering if, as with most things in life, more isn’t necessarily better? Or is this one of those few things like kindness; you can never have too much of it.
Dr. Grace: There is no danger, per se, and some professional athletes sleep in these on occasion, particularly if they have been on the road traveling. That said, that is not the normal lifestyle for most of us.
There is some research that indicates that frequency has some greater effect than just duration – pressure change (as well as additional O2) has clinical and epilepsy-genetic effects, so, for example, it appears that one gets slightly more out of three 1-hour treatments than one 3-hour treatment.
Adam: I also have a chronically ill family member who suffers mainly from asthma, but I see that, from a few different sources of information, asthma has been cited as a contraindication for this type of treatment. Can you speak to that at all?
Grace: We have had a number of patients with asthma benefit from HBOT.
An undiagnosed collapsed lung is a clear contraindication, but asthma can respond very well, as there is often chronic inflammation in the bronchi that can be relieved.
Then we looked up menopause and oxidative stress. It turns out that estrogen is a potent antioxidant, and estrogen deficiency during peri/menopause can lead to oxidative stress.
And what are the symptoms of oxidative stress? Issues such as:
– Wrinkles and grey hair
– Decreased eye sight
– Fatigue
– Memory loss and/or brain fog
– Muscle and/or joint pain
– Headaches and sensitivity to noise
– Susceptibility to infections
Hello menopause!
We know, from treating other conditions, that HBOT can address many of these symptoms.
If it can also fix wrinkles and grey hair, we should have people knocking down our doors…
Brain fog, also known as “cognitive fog” or “mental fog,” is a term used to describe a collection of symptoms that affect cognitive function and mental clarity. It is often associated with Long COVID, a condition where individuals experience persistent symptoms after recovering from the acute phase of COVID-19.
Understanding the Symptoms of Brain Fog Brain fog is characterized by feeling mentally fatigued, difficulty concentrating, and a general sense of confusion or haziness. People experiencing brain fog may find it challenging to think clearly, remember things, or process information effectively.
The specific symptoms of brain fog can vary from person to person, but some common experiences include:
Poor concentration: Difficulty focusing on tasks, getting easily distracted, or feeling mentally scattered.
Memory problems: Forgetfulness, difficulty recalling information, or struggling to remember recent events.
Mental fatigue: Feeling mentally exhausted or overwhelmed, even after minimal mental exertion.
Slowed processing speed: Taking longer to understand or respond to information than usual.
Communication difficulties: Struggling to express thoughts or find the right words during conversations.
Disorganized thinking: Having trouble organizing thoughts or following logical sequences.
Reduced mental clarity: Feeling mentally “foggy” or having a sense of cognitive impairment.
Brain fog also leads to slowed thinking, difficulty finding words, or problems with multitasking.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Brain Fog The exact cause of brain fog in Long COVID is not yet fully understood, but current scientific thinking is that it results from a combination of factors, including inflammation, immune system dysfunction, and the overall impact of the virus on the body. It can be quite distressing for individuals experiencing brain fog, as it can interfere with daily activities, work performance, and overall quality of life.
Because HBOT is a potent anti-inflammatory, it’s a viable option for treating patients with Long COVID. Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, we’ve had a great deal of success helping Long COVID patients recover, and a growing body of scientific studies support our experience.
We are dedicated to hope, healing, and recovery for all Vermonters, and are passionate about sharing this simple, effective treatment that can help people regain their health.
However, we were disappointed that no mention was made of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as a therapeutic modality for addressing these issues. HBOT – the therapeutic use of oxygen at higher than atmospheric pressure – isn’t well known in the US, but is widely used worldwide to treat everything from Multiple Sclerosis to Autism to Bell’s Palsy to Stroke and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
HBOT is a potent anti-inflammatory, and a viable option for treating patients with Long Covid. Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, we’ve had a great deal of success helping Long Covid patients recover, and scientific studies from the UK and Israel support our experience.
We are dedicated to hope, healing, and recovery for all Vermonters, and it would be a shame if folks who are suffering remain in the dark about a simple, effective treatment which can help them regain their health.
What brought you here today? Is it the constant ups and downs of fighting Lyme disease? Has there been nothing short of, well nothing, to help you manage the Long COVID symptoms still affecting your body? Some might simply say, pain.
You’re probably a little confused about what Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) even is, and what it can do for you or someone close to you. That’s completely common. Before joining the team at Hyperbaric Vermont, I knew very little about the treatment myself.
However, from the moment I started learning about HBOT, I quickly saw something that’s easily changing, and in some cases, saving lives.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is, simply, the medical use of oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure.
Increased pressure and oxygen levels have potent physical effects, and research demonstrates that hyperbaric oxygen therapy:
Increases stem cell proliferation and differentiation
Changes gene manifestation
How Does It Work?
Normally, when you breathe air, the oxygen is picked up in your lungs by your red blood cells and taken throughout your body through your network of arteries.
In a hyperbaric chamber, we gently increase the pressure and you breathe 95% pure oxygen.
The increased pressure in the chamber sends oxygen directly into all of your body’s fluids, tissues, joints, and organs. It’s much like using increased pressure to send carbon dioxide into water to make seltzer.
Basically, that increased pressure is sending oxygen to places where your vascular system doesn’t go.
HBOT has almost no negative side effects (other than possibly slight pressure in your ears) or contraindications. Basically, if you’re medically cleared to fly in a plane, you can do HBOT.
What is Hyperbaric Vermont?
Our organization is a small non-profit with a mission to deliver affordable Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Vermont to patients seeking support for medical issues such as:
Lyme
Long COVID
Non-healing wounds
Neuropathy
Concussions
Parkinson’s and ALS
HBOT is used widely around the world, but in the U.S., the FDA has only approved this treatment for 14 conditions. This means that a good portion of the patients who benefit from HBOT in Vermont have “off-label” conditions which aren’t covered by insurance.
Out Of Pocket Doesn’t Mean Out Of Reach
The average cost of HBOT treatments in Vermont is $400 per session. Since most patients see results at 20 to 40 sessions, HBOT can be costly or prohibitively expensive.
I’ve learned a lot about our founder, Dr. Grace Johnstone, who turned to hyperbaric medicine after being completely incapacitated for a year due to Lyme disease and meningitis. Through intensive HBOT she was able to return to the active lifestyle she loves, and she became determined to bring hope to others by sharing this powerful healing modality with those in need.
Her story could, in many ways, be your story, and Hyperbaric Vermont could be a significant step on your path to a healthier, happier life.
If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in the future, or you’re curious about what HBOT can do for you, let us know by reaching out online or calling our office at (802) 662-5993.
