You’ve probably heard of a dangerous condition known as decompression sickness, or “the bends.” This problem develops when a scuba diver swims toward the water’s surface too quickly, and nitrogen bubbles form in their blood or tissue. What you may not know is that the treatment for this condition is hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers pure oxygen to your system under high pressure. When used to treat the bends, this forces the nitrogen bubbles to turn back into liquid, which is easier to flush from the body. We now know that this technique can treat more than decompression sickness.
At South Shore Surgical in Valley Stream, New York, Dr. Ira Klonsky offers the most advanced medical services available, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Take a moment to learn more about this innovative technique and whether it’s right for you.
How hyperbaric oxygen therapy works
When you get hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you inhale 100% oxygen while relaxing in a pressurized tube or room. These comfortable locations have air pressure up to three times higher than normal. This approach helps your lungs absorb more oxygen than possible under average conditions, which increases the oxygen levels in your blood.
Increasing the oxygen in your blood offers several health benefits. First, the tissue in your body needs plenty of oxygen to survive, and damaged tissue requires even more. So, by temporarily increasing the oxygen in your blood with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you restore these healthy levels and give your tissue a greater ability to fight bacteria and infection.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy also activates the healing process in your body by triggering the production of vital growth factors and stem cells.
When to consider hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Dr. Klonsky might recommend hyperbaric oxygen therapy for a variety of conditions, such as:
- Allergies and asthma
- Bone or skin infections, including diabetic foot ulcers
- Severe anemia
- Arthritis
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Gastrointestinal ulcers
- Heart disease and stroke
- Conditions like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease
- Arterial gas embolism, or air bubbles in your blood vessels
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can also play a valuable role in cancer treatment by making abnormal cells easier to kill while simultaneously stimulating the healing process.
What to expect from hyperbaric oxygen therapy
We offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy on-site in our hyperbaric medicine center.
During your session, you relax in a clear plastic tube or special room so we can increase the air pressure surrounding you. You remain in this space while breathing pure oxygen for up to two hours, depending on your condition.
Having hyperbaric oxygen therapy is completely painless, but you may experience a temporary feeling of fullness in your ears. This sensation passes quickly, however, especially if you swallow or yawn.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy doesn’t require any downtime, but it’s common to feel hungry or tired after your treatment. For best results, Dr. Klonsky might recommend a series of treatments.
For more information on hyperbaric oxygen therapy, call us at 516-200-1318 or request an appointment through our online booking tool. You can also send a message to Dr. Klonsky and the team here on our website.