Conditions Succesfully Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is used to treat a wide range of conditions, with new applications being researched on a continual basis. There are currently fifteen conditions treatable with hyperbaric that are approved by the FDA in the US. However, there are numerous “off-label” uses for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, many of which are documented with scientific evidence that is stronger than that of the FDA approved conditions. Nearly all medical clinics, doctor’s offices, and hospitals use FDA-approved drugs and medical devices for “off-label” use on a consistent basis. FDA allows “off-label” use of approved medical devices that have scientific data supporting their use under the supervision of a licensed physician.

The following is a list of many conditions with documented benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an “off-label” treatment:

· Autism/ Autistic Spectrum Disorders
· Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AIDS/ HIV
· Allergies, Asthma, Immunity
· ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
· Alzheimer’s
· Arthritis- Rheumatoid, Osteoarthritis, Osteoarthrosis
· Atherosclerosis
· Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD / ADHD)
· Bells Palsy
· Brain Injury / Encephalopathy
· Burns
· Cerebral Palsy (CP)
· Cancer
· Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction/ CFIDS/ CFS
· Coma
· Cosmetic Surgery/ Plastic Surgery
· Crohn’s Disease
· Dementia
· Depression
· Diabetes
· Epilepsy/ Seizure Disorders
· Fibromyalgia
· General Health
· Hearing Loss
· Heart Disease/ Cardiac
· Hepatitis
· Infection
· Injury Healing
· Interstitial Cystitis
· Lupus
· Lyme Disease
· Macular Degeneration
· Memory Loss
· Menopause Symptoms
· Migraines
· Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
· Multiple Sclerosis
· Near Drowning
· Neuropathy
· Ocular (Eye) Conditions
· Orthopedic
· Osteoporosis
· Parkinson’s
· Post-Polio
· Post- Surgery / Plastic Surgery
· Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/ RSD
· Rheumatoid Arthritis
· Rheumatic Diseases
· Seizures
· Spinal Cord Injury
· Sports Performance & Injury
· Stroke
· Surgery/ Post Surgery
· Traumatic Brain Injury
· General Wound Healing and Post Surgery Healing

The following is a list of the fifteen conditions that are FDA approved for treatment with hyperbaric therapy. These conditions are typically reimbursed by insurance and include:

· Actinomycosis
· Air or Gas Embolism
· Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Smoke Inhalation
· Clostridial Myonecrosis (Gas Gangrene)
· Cyanide poisoning
· Crush Injury, Compartment Syndrome, and other Acute Traumatic Ischemias
· Decompression Sickness
· Diabetic Wounds*
· Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
· Osteomyelitis (Refractory)
· Radiation Tissue Damage (Osteoradionecrosis)
· Severe Anemia
· Skin Grafts and Flaps (Compromised)
· Thermal Burns

*Must meet the following criteria

· Patient has Diabetes type I or II with a lower extremity wound due to the condition
· Patient has wound classified as Wagner grade II or higher
· Patient has failed adequate course of standard wound therapy

Contraindications

The following conditions and medications may not be compatible with hyperbaric treatments utilizing hyperbaric chambers:

Conditions

· Pregnancy- while in some cases, women are able to receive treatment utilizing mild hyperbaric oxygen chambers, the contraindication is absolute for traditional hard-shell hyperbaric chambers

· Congenital spherocytosis – a genetic disorder of the red blood cell membrane characterized by anemia, jaundice (yellowing) and splenomegaly (enlargement of the spleen)

· Untreated pneumothorax – free air in the chest outside the lung that requires aspiration of the free air and/or placement of a chest tube to evacuate the air

· Upper respiratory infections – These conditions can make it difficult for the patient to clear their ears, which can result in what is termed sinus squeeze.

· Severe emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with either of these conditions may cease breathing if placed in a hyperbaric chamber because their lungs only breathe when it detects enriched levels of CO2.

Medications

· Cis-Platinum– a chemotherapy agent most often used to treat lung cancer
· Disulfiram (Antabuse®)– an oral tablet used to treat chronic alcoholism
· Doxorubicin (Adriamycin®)– a medication used in cancer chemotherapy
· Mafenicde Acetate (Sulfamylon®)– a topical cream used to prevent and treat bacterial or fungus infections (primarily from burns)

This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a medical recommendation.