Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - any experiences?

[Recidivist]

A chance conversation led me to a bit of googling, and it actually is a thing. Trying it out for peripheral neuropathy, currently about 12 sessions in.

Difficult to tell if there is any tangible improvement. My research indicates between 20 and 40 sessions can be expected to achieve real results - but what do those results look like?

Interested to hear any experiences others may have had.

 

[Captain Ketamine]

Hyperbaric is interesting. I used to work at a unit with an enthusiastic lead who would try it on everything in the 80’s. But if believe there is more research out there for specific problems. Certainly poor wound healing it can be very helpful for, and there are lists of accepted indications Such as bends gangrene, compartment syndrome etc.
In terms of peripheral neuropathy I have no experience it may depend on the cause as to your outcome. But it sounds a reasonable approach theoretically for some conditions. The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy we see here is diabetes. The most important thing in this group is good control of diabeteS. (as well,as weight loss diet exercise etc in type 2, anything you can do to try and reverse it).
All the best

 

[Monkey]

I’ve read a few articles that say it’s showing promise in speeding up concussion recovery. Hell, Aaron Rodgers bought his own chamber just for that!

 

[billy backstay]

A chance conversation led me to a bit of googling, and it actually is a thing. Trying it out for peripheral neuropathy, currently about 12 sessions in.

Difficult to tell if there is any tangible improvement. My research indicates between 20 and 40 sessions can be expected to achieve real results - but what do those results look like?

Interested to hear any experiences others may have had.

Could that work for neuropathy of the feet?
.

 

[cje]

Well.. 10 days ago I completed 40 sessions at Vancouver VGH facility. This was for Osteonecrosis. Jaw bone decay as a result of over radiation/ chemo from HPV related throat cancer 10 years ago. The entire experience was mind boggling positive. I finished doing 6 double 2+ hour dives a day. All of my bodies pain was gone while down. Feet, knees, broken bones, sore shoulders and hangovers.
It speed up the healing dramatically and now going in the right direction after 2 yrs of hell.
Interesting.. 70% of folks in there were for total or major hearing loss with many covid related and received 20. So so results unfortunately.
Ask away or PM me.
One of the coolest things I've ever done and now going to outlive every last one of you clowns.

 

[veni vidi vici]

About 25 years ago I looked into it in desperation and found one nearby and spoke with someone at the facility, it was a reasonable out of pocket per treatment I thought at the time. I had horrible facial nerve pain and had work ups from several medical disciplines. I could only sleep sitting up and the waves of crescendo pain were exquisite. The AC air in the car passing over my cheek was enough to set it off.
MRI / CT scan rounds of antibiotics and steroids it finally tapered off and disappeared 3-4 weeks.
I looked into the hyperbaric on my on when the doctors said that because of diseased tissue in my sinuses the drugs were not effectively getting to the areas in need the most. It was my first use of hydrocodone and it only took the extreme of the pain away. For the life of me I don’t understand the appeal of those drugs . Difficult to pee, skin itching and constipation .

 

[AaronD]

My 14-year-old son is doing HBOT for long-COVID (fatigue, brain fog, cardiac irregularities and a host of other long-COVID symptoms). There's some research indicating HBOT might help, and a plausible pathway explaining why that might be (micro-clots in alveoli; I don't have the links handy). HBOT doesn't have any troubling side effects (aside from a lot of extra driving for my wife), so it seemed worth trying.

He's about 25 treatments in, planning on ~50 total. And doing a lot better than he was a couple months ago. Is that the HBOT helping? Or just time or luck? We can't know, but we'll keep going.

 

[veni vidi vici]

My 14-year-old son is doing HBOT for long-COVID (fatigue, brain fog, cardiac irregularities and a host of other long-COVID symptoms). There's some research indicating HBOT might help, and a plausible pathway explaining why that might be (micro-clots in alveoli; I don't have the links handy). HBOT doesn't have any troubling side effects (aside from a lot of extra driving for my wife), so it seemed worth trying.

He's about 25 treatments in, planning on ~50 total. And doing a lot better than he was a couple months ago. Is that the HBOT helping? Or just time or luck? We can't know, but we'll keep going.

Sorry to hear of your sons condition, HBOT certainly can’t hurt and the concept makes sense. He has youth on his side and the incredible healing power of the human body.

 

[cje]

That's interesting Aa and we all hope for the best, everyone is different. In Canada our med covers 40 and I'd do more but $3k a pop.
One big side effect is vision. Past I couldn't see my fingers without cheaters but long was perfect. Now I can take out a splinter but everything past 5' is blurred and double vision. Can't drive and can only yacht using my Fujis overly adjusted. Apparently this settles down after 3-4 months but right now its worse and may never recover. I totally understood the side effects would absolutely do it again and would encourage others.

 

[billy backstay]

Hyperbaric is interesting. I used to work at a unit with an enthusiastic lead who would try it on everything in the 80’s. But if believe there is more research out there for specific problems. Certainly poor wound healing it can be very helpful for, and there are lists of accepted indications Such as bends gangrene, compartment syndrome etc.
In terms of peripheral neuropathy I have no experience it may depend on the cause as to your outcome. But it sounds a reasonable approach theoretically for some conditions. The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy we see here is diabetes. The most important thing in this group is good control of diabeteS. (as well,as weight loss diet exercise etc in type 2, anything you can do to try and reverse it).
All the best

Has this worked for Diabetics with foot neuropathy? Mine is not from Diabetes, but leftover chronic neuropathy from Gulliane-Barre 22 years ago.
.

 

[Mrleft8]

I'm keeping an eye on this. I have severe neuropathy in my feet and hands thanks to Lyme disease. NOTHING the drs have tried have done jack shit. If Medicare will cover most of it I'll give it a try, if anyone has some good to report.

 

[burndoc]

I have used occasionally for some diabetic wounds. Don’t use for carbon monoxide injuries as data not there. I have not heard of use for neuropathy.
HBOT is what we call a cure looking for a disease. It may be beneficial in some situations but I have not seen any real data.
That being said good luck. I do hope it helps

 

[Recidivist]

Thanks all.

I'm keeping an eye on this. I have severe neuropathy in my feet and hands thanks to Lyme disease. NOTHING the drs have tried have done jack shit. If Medicare will cover most of it I'll give it a try, if anyone has some good to report.

Almost exactly my situation, except mine wasn't Lyme but another disease from the same family. I lost several layers of skin over every square inch of my body, and I suspect that's when the nerve damage occurred. The neuropathy started several years later in the toes of my left foot and just kept spreading. I haven't had feeling in my feet for probably 8 years now, and the numbness is now above the knees and getting bad in my hands. I struggle doing up buttons!

My reading indicates that neuropathy from Lyme's disease is one area HBOT has been used for, but results appear to vary from miraculous to no improvement depending on the individual. The relationship between Lyme's and my disease was a factor in my decision to try it.

So far, 2 different painful sites arising from a total knee replacement have definitely abated since beginning the HBOT. I think my feet feel "warmer" and the "sock" has reappeared around my ankles. Lots of burning pain from the soles of the feet (which had gone away years ago). But over the years I have had to habituate to lots of pain as I can't tolerate the drugs, so I can cope. I have to use a walking stick for stability, but have reduced the use of this by almost half, so I reckon I'm getting some results but don't know what to expect as I get further in.

 

[Recidivist]

Has this worked for Diabetics with foot neuropathy? Mine is not from Diabetes, but leftover chronic neuropathy from Gulliane-Barre 22 years ago.
.

Billy, see my reply to Lefty. Your damage goes back as far as mine, and common sense would suggest that would work against any likelihood of a total reversal, but I'll take any improvement I can get! Good luck ...

 

[billy backstay]

Billy, see my reply to Lefty. Your damage goes back as far as mine, and common sense would suggest that would work against any likelihood of a total reversal, but I'll take any improvement I can get! Good luck ...

Thanks, I will investigate further.
.

 

[Se7en]

One big side effect is vision. Past I couldn't see my fingers without cheaters but long was perfect. Now I can take out a splinter but everything past 5' is blurred and double vision. Can't drive and can only yacht using my Fujis overly adjusted. Apparently this settles down after 3-4 months but right now its worse and may never recover.

This should be a short term thing - stems from disssolved O2 in the eyes being respired and hence changing the pressure of the lense / eyeball. There is medical literature about the effect and duration. (I was a subject in some research on this and read a few of the relevant papers at the time).
It's quite a common thing on technical diving trips - after a few days of high PPO2, all the old fogeys put their reading glasses away. The effect only lasted a few days after the end of the trips though.

 

[Laker]

A San Diego hospital asked to borrow one of our decompression chambers in the late 70s. Poor guy had sickle cell anemia and the cells had accumulated at the base of his penis. He had a perpetual erection and gangrene had set in. It didn't work.

 

[cje]

Thanks 7

 

[billy backstay]

This should be a short term thing - stems from disssolved O2 in the eyes being respired and hence changing the pressure of the lense / eyeball. There is medical literature about the effect and duration. (I was a subject in some research on this and read a few of the relevant papers at the time).
It's quite a common thing on technical diving trips - after a few days of high PPO2, all the old fogeys put their reading glasses away. The effect only lasted a few days after the end of the trips though.

Interesting about the effect on the eyes. I had vision anomalies one time when I had to be on Prednisone for 9 months. The vision became very slightly blurry but cleared up afterward.
.

 

[kent_island_sailor]

I only know about it for getting rid of bends. Some dive boats have a pure O2 tank for DIY treatments, you hang out at about 20 feet breathing oxygen to purge the remaining nitrogen. I know anything past 30 feet (aka 1 bar aka 15 PSI) risks convulsions.