What is pain?
Pain is an uncomfortable feeling that tells you something may be wrong. Pain can be steady, throbbing, stabbing, aching, pinching, or described in many other ways.
There is a growing body of evidence that Hyperbaric Oxygen decreases pain in different acute and chronic pain conditions. Animal studies have highlighted the analgesic effect caused by HBO. Hyperoxygenation increases ATP production for energy-related cellular functions, thus leading to an increase in healing and recovery time.
Chronic pain is one of the frequently encountered clinical problems that is difficult to cure. HBO has been reported in chronic pain syndrome with promising results.
Hyperbaric Oxygen has been studied in various chronic pain syndromes, including fibromyalgia syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, migraine and cluster headaches.
Hyperbaric Oxygen’s Effectiveness On Pain
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A double-blind, randomized trial assessed the effectiveness of HBO for treating patients with complex regional pain syndrome.
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The HBO group showed a significant decrease in pain and oedema, compared to the control which did not receive HBO.
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The group concluded that HBO is an effective and well-tolerated method for decreasing pain and oedema.
Three Weeks Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Successfully Treated Lower Limb Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
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A 41-year-old male with a one-year history of the pain syndrome of the left foot followed by ankle fracture demonstrated less pain, decreased swelling, less allodynia and improvement in skin colour and range of motion of the lower limb just after three weeks of HBO
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The patient was back to work for the first time in over a year!
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We believe HBO can be considered a valuable therapeutic tool in the treatment of long-standing pain syndromes
Human Trials
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In human trials, HBO has consistently been shown to improve main scores and range of motion.
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Many scientific authors and doctors conclude that HBO is an effective method for decreasing pain and swelling.
Mechanism
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The therapeutic effects of HBO are based on supra physiologic increase in the amount of dissolved oxygen carried by the blood
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This increase allows oxygenation of the ischemic areas with compromised circulation.
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HBO activated oxidant-antioxidant mechanisms via an endothelial nitric oxide (NO) pathway, which plays a key role in stimulating the secretion of growth factors and stem cells.
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By activating signal transduction cascades, HBO has been shown to mediate tissue healing and improve postischemic and inflammatory injuries.
View the Studies
Effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15174218/
Successful Treatment of Lower Limb Complex Regional Pain Syndrome following Three Weeks of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/prm/2016/3458371/
Effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy in chronic pain management
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16539861/
Pain management and Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy
https://www.openaccessjournals.com/articles/pain-management-and-hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy.pdf