Risk and Worries

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Risks and Worries New Page 4

This page is intended for informational purposes only. These are some of the most frequently ask questions and concerns by our patients. If you feel that there is something that we are missing, please feel free to contact us with your suggestions.

• What are the possible side effects associated with HBOT?

Barotrauma to sinuses or ear drum: At this clinic we” customize” our pressurization descent and ascent rates according to each patients ability to clear their ears: we will take all the time necessary to reach your treatment depth.

Confinement anxiety: Our chambers are fitted with windows that reduce confinement anxiety. You can watch movies, listen to music or read while in the chamber. This can alleviate any confinement issues you have. If for any reason you wish to exit the chamber before your treatment time should cease, our technicians will promptly let you out.

Changes in vision: Some people experience small changes in their vision while receiving treatments. In all but a very few rare cases, patients reported those changes as temporary, lasting for only 4-8 weeks.

Oxygen Toxicity: Oxygen in excessive amounts is theorized to cause Central Nervous System and Pulmonary effects. We closely monitor the time you are in the chamber, always keeping you in well under the minimum time that over exposure might become a problem.

Hypoglycemia: HBOT causes your oxidative metabolism to speed up while in the chamber. In effect, this causes the cells in your body to move around faster than normal which, in turn, also uses your body sugar as a fuel more rapidly than normal. Although this is just one of the ultimate benefits of hyperbaric oxygen treatments, we do recommend that you have a healthy meal at least two hours prior to each treatment session so as to prevent any possible hypoglycemic episode.

Cataracts: Patients with cataracts may experience accelerated maturation of the cataract, however HBOT does not cause cataract formation and has been known to increase retinal acuity.

• What is the treatment like?

Before starting your treatment, we make sure that you are wearing 100% cotton, have removed any metal and electrical objects, and have had a meal at least 2 hours prior to treatment. Our technician will assist you into the chamber or will load you in (for patients that are not mobile). As the treatment begins you will feel pressure on your inner ears, much like that of flying in an airplane. It is important to clear your ears constantly during the compression phase of the treatment. As the pressure increases it will also get a little warmer, but never uncomfortable. If the procedure is too uncomfortable or builds up too fast, simply notify the technician and it can be contoured to your liking. When the desired treatment pressure is reached you can relax and watch a movie or read a book if you wish, or simply take a nap. We recommend that you drink water to help clear your ears (especially the little ones). Upon ascent you will notice that the chamber will get cooler, this is normal as we decrease pressure, it is important to clear your ears during this process as well. The overall experience is quite pleasant, and most kids find it to be fun and exciting.

• How long is a treatment?

Each session is 90 Minutes, this is important because it takes your body approximately 90 min to be fully saturated with oxygen, some facilities will only treat you for 60 min.

• Will I be claustrophobic?

Our chambers are big enough for two people, however only one person may go in at a time ( except for children). Each chamber have windows that allow you to watch movies during your treatment, among other things. Normally, keeping your mind distracted will help with claustrophobia. We will gladly schedule a claustrophobia check before you start your treatments at no extra charge.

• How long will it take before I start to see improvements?

We see a variety of patients with different illnesses. Therefore we use different protocols for different illnesses as prescribed by the patient's supervising physician. We cannot accurately tell patients exactly when they will see changes because every patient is different, even if they suffer from the same illness. You have to keep in mind that HBOT is an excellent adjunct therapy with any other therapy you or your loved ones might be doing at the same time (e.g, a patient doing physical therapy, speech therapy). These multi-tasking patients will most likely see better improvements faster vs a patient with the same illness that is not receiving any kind of therapy. We will take into account every factor in order to help you or care givers make a better decision on the amount of treatments you will need.

• Is there regression after completing a series of treatments?

None of our patients that have completed a series of treatments have reported any negative data. However some patients do come back for maintenance treatments to keep them healthy. Keep in mind, different illnesses will react in different ways to HBOT. For example, reports from Britain show that some multiple sclerosis patients receiving HBOT initially will stop the progression of the disease but will need occasional follow-up treatments to maintain any positive changes in their condition.

• Why haven’t I heard of this before?

Even though HBOT has been used since the early 1930's here in the U.S. it was not until the late 60's it started to gain recognition in the medical field. We find many more doctors are becoming informed and learning about HBOT and it is being used in more hospitals through out the United States. A major problem is that it is rarely taught in medical school. Hopefully in the future, HBOT will become standard procedure in most hospitals and will become standard treatment for more illnesses.

• What kind of chambers do you use?

Our chambers are mono-place (for one person only) and are cleared by the FDA, they are patient and operator friendly, we use 100% medical grade oxygen to operate them so you don’t have to wear any hoods or masks to breathe oxygen as they do in other facilities. The approximate dimensions are 4 feet in diameter and 7 feet long.

• What do I need before I start treatments?
Before you begin you will need to get a prescription from your doctor, you may acquire one from an M.D. , Dentist, or Doctor of osteopathy. You can not get a prescription from a chiropractor.

• Now we get technical . . .

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