Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be administered in either a solitary treatment chamber or a larger room designed to handle numerous patients at once. Below, you’ll find an outline of the three stages of care:
You will spend the first half of the session lying on a table while the pressure in the chamber is gradually increased, and you breathe oxygen through a mask (this is known as the compression phase).
When the air pressure is just right, you’ll be told to put on your mask and take a deep breath of oxygen. Somewhere in the range of a few hours, you’ll find yourself with free time on your hands, making it the perfect opportunity to relax with a good book, some TV, or some tunes.
Any HBOT session needs to be monitored by a doctor. You’ll get a rundown of what to expect, some advice on when to take breaks, and a demonstration of how to pop your ears to relieve pressure.
When you leave the hyperbaric oxygen chamber following your treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, the pressure will return to normal. Session length typically varies from case to case but typically ranges from one week to several.
Improved mitochondrial metabolism with anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects may be the result of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which utilizes both hyperoxia and hyperbaric pressure in accordance with a defined protocol to target oxygen- and pressure-sensitive genes.
Furthermore, these genes promote stem cell proliferation, increased circulating levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and angiogenesis factors, all of which induce angiogenesis and boost blood flow to the ischemic region.
Evidence has accumulated in recent years that high-pressure oxygen therapy (HBOT) induces brain neuroplasticity, which in turn leads to the repair of chronically impaired brain functions in people who have suffered a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) with prolonged post-concussion syndrome, even years after the brain insult, and in healthy aging adults.
The most prevalent model of central sensitization syndrome, fibromyalgia, can also benefit from HBOT’s ability to induce neuroplasticity and alleviate clinical symptoms.
