Hyperbaric Oxygen and Inflammation

Under normal conditions, oxygen is primarily transported throughout the body by red blood cells. With HBOT, oxygen dissolves into all of the body’s fluids, including the plasma, central nervous system fluids, lymph, and bone. This allows it to reach damaged areas of the body where circulation might be diminished or blocked due to inflammation, thereby promoting healing and reducing swelling and inflammation.

Studies have found that HBOT can help decrease inflammation by reducing the release of inflammatory cytokines, substances like Interleukin-1 (IL-1), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6). By lowering the levels of these substances in the body, HBOT helps to limit the inflammatory response.

HBOT can stimulate angiogenesis, which is the formation of new blood vessels. This process can improve blood flow to areas of the body that are inflamed or damaged, thereby delivering more oxygen and nutrients to these areas to facilitate healing and reduce inflammation.

HBOT can enhance the activity of white blood cells, which can help to reduce inflammation and fight infection.

HBOT has been shown to reduce edema (swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in the body’s tissues), which is often a result of inflammation.

The degree of benefit of HBOT for inflammation can depend on various factors such as the underlying cause of the inflammation, the severity of the condition, and individual patient characteristics. As such, we provide consultations with medical doctors at our practice. What is Inflammation? Very generally speaking, inflammation is the body’s immune system’s response to an irritant. The irritant might be a germ, but it could also be a foreign object, such as a splinter in your finger.

Many different things can cause inflammation. The most common are

However, inflammations don’t always help the body. In some diseases the immune system fights against the body’s own cells by mistake, causing harmful inflammations. This can cause chronic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases.