How Does Oxygen Therapy For Home Work? 5 Easy Steps

Oxygen therapy for home is an emergency response that must initiate as soon as possible. Due to the physical reduction in the size of the gas bubbles as a result of the increased ambient pressure, the blood flow releases more quickly.

In addition, damage mechanisms in the brain and spinal cord stops and repairs processes are set in motion at the same time. The duration of the first treatment can last several hours. This often follows by a series of weeks of therapy.

Who benefits from hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

Oxygen therapy for home is mainly good to use in the following situations:

• Carbon monoxide (“flue gas”) or cyanide gas poisoning
• Decompression sickness (“diving accident”, air embolism)
• Severe, life-threatening infections (e.g. Gas gangrene)
• Crush injury (extensive contusions in the context of severe accidents)
• Threatened grafts or replants with poor perfusion
• Rehabilitation after stroke
• Non-healing wounds (problem wounds, such as diabetic foot or “open legs” in the context of circulatory disorders)
• Late effects after radiation in the context of malignant tumors, chronic bone diseases
• Migraines that do not respond to other therapy , sudden hearing loss , acoustic trauma and tinnitus

How does Oxygen therapy for home work?

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy bases on a variety of pathophysiological and physical effects:

• The plasma and not the blood cells are responsible for the transport of oxygen, which is why oxygen is particularly easy to get into areas of the body that poorly supply with blood. In addition, under these conditions, oxygen acts like a highly effective drug
• Damage mechanisms block and at the same time complex repair processes are set in motion
• The formation of new blood vessels stimulates by increased oxygen supply
• Toxins push out of their bond in the body

Carbon monoxide and cyanide gas poisoning

Oxygen transport or oxygen utilization is significantly impaired when inhaling smoke gas components (primarily carbon monoxide and cyanide) and can result in permanent damage to the brain or heart.

On the one hand, Oxygen therapy for home displaces the toxins from their bonds in the body, but at the same time prevents the development of consequential damage in the tissue – in this case especially in the brain. The treatment should carry out as quickly as possible, preferably within 4 hours, at least 3 units require.

Gas bubbles in the blood

If air bubbles get into the blood vessels (air embolism, decompression sickness after a diving accident), they block them and thus impede the oxygen supply. If you survive this serious situation, the lack of oxygen can cause severe, permanent damage, especially in the brain and spinal cord (paralysis, impaired consciousness, etc.).

Life-threatening infections

Various groups of germs, such as those that occur in gas fires, can massively damage the tissue. The Oxygen therapy for home can intervene directly in the metabolism of the germs and thereby prevent them from growing. At the same time, HBO supports the body’s defense mechanisms.

Severe accidents can result in extensive crushing of tissue, which can result in the loss of extremities. Early HBO can save tissue from destruction.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Threatened transplants and replants

After the replantation of limbs that have severed in accidents or after organ transplantation, the transplant or replant can die due to disturbed blood flow.

If the blood flow is disturbed in particular or if there is severe tissue swelling in the replant. Oxygen therapy for home can help to save the transplanted tissue.

Rehabilitation after stroke

Many scientific studies show that HBO can regenerate and rebuild cells in the central nervous system. This can support the regression of symptoms such as paralysis, speech and memory disorders.

The supplied oxygen also reaches poorly circulated or sore tissue and accelerates the healing process, for example in the case of diabetic feet or circulatory disorders. The Oxygen therapy for home lasts about 2 ½ hours per therapy unit and carries out 30 times or more depending on the course.

Late effects after radiotherapy

In the course of radiotherapy (e.g. after prostate cancer or rectal cancer or tumors in the mouth, jaw and face area), not only the malignant tumor damages, but also the surrounding healthy tissue.

Due to the higher oxygen concentration in the blood and the greater “range” of oxygen transport, the affected tissue can supply with oxygen with the help of HBO, which unfolds its medicinal effect. New cells form, tissue regenerates, open areas heal.

This also relieves pain and stops bleeding. Depending on the severity of the damage, 30 to 60 treatments of 2 ½ hours each require.

Oxygen therapy for home: bone and bone marrow diseases

In the case of inflammation of the bone marrow, injuries to the bone that are difficult to heal, the periosteum or accumulation of fluid in the bone marrow, HBO increases the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the conjunctival tissue, which is otherwise difficult to access.

Defense cells activate, water retention (edema) reduces through points of attack on the vessels. This allows fistulas to heal and reduces pain. The duration of treatment varies and depends on the individual clinical picture.

Hearing loss, tinnitus, acoustic and acoustic trauma

The Oxygen therapy for home increases the supply of oxygen to the sensory cells in the inner ear by a factor of 4 to 6. Treatments are given about 10 to 15 times for 90 minutes each to restore hearing or reduce ringing in the ears.

Although the increased oxygen supply for the sensory cells in the inner ear can be proven without a doubt, the success of the therapy is difficult to predict in individual cases, especially in the case of tinnitus. Therefore, before HBO for tinnitus, all other therapeutic measures should exhaust or at least take place in parallel with HBO.

How does hyperbaric oxygen therapy work?

With Oxygen therapy for home you are in a hyperbaric chamber with “normal” breathing air. Depending on the disease, the pressure is 2 to 4 times normal pressure. In this environment, you will supply with pure oxygen via a mask. The hyperbaric chambers are spacious, so feel free to bring a book, but electronic devices are not allowed.

HBOT is not recommended if you suffer from the following conditions:

• Untreated bronchial asthma, severe COPD
• tuberculosis
• Heart diseases (cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac insufficiency , untreated high blood pressure )
• Seizures that are not stable with medication (e.g. epilepsy )
• Acute infections, fever (exception: gas gangrene)
• Psychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia , certain anxiety disorders )

What else you need to know?

• In pregnant patients, Oxygen therapy for homecan and must be good to use as a life-saving immediate measure for acute indications. In non-life-threatening situations, however, HBOT should avoid during pregnancy.

The pressure equalization in the middle ear must be possible. Otherwise damage to the eardrum and middle ear can occur. An examination by an ear, nose and throat specialist is therefore recommended before treatment.