Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The key mechanism involved in HBOT is known as hyperoxygenation. As the patient is immersed in the pure, pressurized oxygen, their bodily tissues are forced to soak up increased levels of oxygen. Oxygen saturates the skin and enters the blood stream, causing a number of biological reactions, which work to reduce pain and treat illness. Hypoxia (decreased cellular oxygen) is a systematic sign in fibromyalgia. Hypoxia is the primary cause of the feeling of "being hit by a truck" following activity. HBOT cures hypoxia in fibromyalgia sufferers.
Other benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are:
- improving circulation and promote blood flow to the brain and tissues
- stimulate the action of white blood cells, helping the body to fight off infection
- narrows certain blood vessels, reducing inflammation and swelling
- inhibit the growth of foreign bacteria and organisms
Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help Fibromyalgia Patients?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a relatively new treatment for fibromyalgia. However, initial studies seem to illustrate that HBOT has a positive effect on the symptoms of fibromyalgia, including muscle pain, fatigue, and tender points.
A study performed by medical researchers at a Turkish military hospital revealed astonishing results when it comes to using HBOT on fibromyalgia patients. This double blind, placebo-controlled study exposed fibromyalgia patients to 15, 90-minute hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments. Researchers recorded information regarding the patient’s tender points and pain threshold before the study began, throughout the treatments, and again following treatments.
The results of the study showed that the fibromyalgia patients receiving HBOT reported a decreased number of tender points and an increased pain threshold. In fact, after 15 sessions, the patients recorded half the number of original tender points and twice their original pain threshold. Those patients who received placebo HBOT recorded no improvements.
