What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)? 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been used for decades to treat chronic wounds and other medical conditions. 
It is a non-invasive treatment that consists of breathing high concentrations of Oxygen (O2) inside a medium pressurised Hyperbaric Chamber.  
 
In everyday air, we breathe in about 21% oxygen, along with other gases. However, when inflammation occurs in the body, the absorption of oxygen is hindered. This is where HBOT comes in – by increasing the levels of absorbed oxygen in your body, we can help your body receive the oxygen it needs for optimal functioning. 
This is vital as our body's tissues need an adequate supply of oxygen to function. When tissue is injured, it requires even more oxygen to survive.  
 
Our Hyperbaric Oxygen chamber pressurises you to 1.45 ATA (atmospheres of pressure), allowing you to breathe in almost pure oxygen. This triggers a phenomenon known as Hyperoxia, resulting in various physiological effects, including: 
 
Increased blood flow, especially in poorly irrigated tissues 
Reduces pain & Inflammation 
Increased stem cell activation 
Improves Memory and concentration 
Boosts immunity and fights infection 
Reduced muscle fatigue and exhaustion 
Faster bone and cartilage regeneration 
Enhances mood and mental clarity 
Better sleep & More energy 
Alleviate pulled muscles, strains & sprains 
Help torn muscles and tendons 
 

What is Hyperoxia?  

Imagine your body receiving a surge of life-giving oxygen, revitalising cellular functions and promoting overall well-being. Hyperoxia becomes a beacon of vitality, offering a helping hand to areas that may not be getting their fair share of oxygen, such as the brain, cartilage, bones, and tissues. 
 
In simple terms, hyperoxia means more oxygen in your blood, supporting cellular metabolism and ensuring a superior oxygen supply to vital organs and tissues. This is especially beneficial for conditions where oxygen delivery might be compromised due to certain pathologies. 

How does HBOT work?  

Ever wondered about the magic behind Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)? Let's take a friendly dive into the fascinating world of healing and oxygenation! 
When your body is injured your body releases fluid to the injured area, that leaks into the tissues and causes swelling. 
This swelling deprives the damaged cells of oxygen, and tissue starts to die. HBOT reduces swelling while flooding the tissues with oxygen. The higher pressure in the chamber increases the amount of oxygen in the blood. HBOT aims to break the cycle of swelling, oxygen starvation, and tissue death. 
 
Oxygen-Rich Healing 
Picture this: when your body is injured, it responds by sending fluid to the affected area, causing swelling. Unfortunately, this swelling can deprive damaged cells of much-needed oxygen, leading to tissue damage. That's where HBOT steps in like a superhero – it reduces swelling while saturating the tissues with a surplus of oxygen-rich plasma. 
 
Breaking the Cycle 
Inside our high-tech chamber, the elevated pressure increases the amount of oxygen your blood can carry. This is essential because your body's tissues rely on a sufficient oxygen supply for proper functioning. HBOT breaks the cycle of swelling, oxygen deprivation, and tissue death. It's like hitting the reset button for your body's natural healing process. 
 
Preventing "Reperfusion Injury 
Ever heard of "reperfusion injury"? It's the severe damage that can occur when blood supply returns to tissues after being deprived of oxygen. Think of it like a traffic jam causing chaos. HBOT acts as a traffic manager, preventing this injury by encouraging your body's own oxygen radical scavengers to clean up the mess. This ensures a smoother flow for healing to continue without harmful setbacks. 
 
Did you know? 
 
HBOT helps block the action of harmful bacteria and strengthens the body's immune system. HBOT can disable the toxins of certain bacteria. It also increases oxygen concentration in the tissues. This helps them resist infection. In addition, the therapy improves the ability of white blood cells to find and destroy invaders. 
 
Did you know? 
 
HBOT encourages the formation of new collagen and new skin cells. It does so by encouraging new blood vessel to grow. It also stimulates cells to produce certain substances, like vascular endothelial growth factor. These attract and stimulate endothelial cells needed for healing. 
 

What happens during a HBOT session?  

The therapy simply involves relaxing in one of our specialist chambers whilst breathing in the almost pure Oxygen through an Oxygen mask. The treatment is totally non invasive. 
 
A session can last 60 or 90 minutes. It will take around 3 minutes for the chamber to reach the correct pressure. In this time, you may experience a little discomfort in your ears, similar to what you experience when you fly. Once at the correct pressure you can then relax and enjoy your session. The chambers have windows on all sides so you can see outside, a person will be outside the chamber throughout the whole process of increasing and decreasing the pressure. During this course you will be able to go at your own pace so you feel comfortable the whole time. 
 
You can watch a video, listen to music, read a book or simply lay and relax whilst the chamber works its magic. 
We can also provide you with a tablet for you to listen or watch entertainment with. 
 
Several sessions are often needed, before feeling the benefits of HbOT. 
DISCLAIMER: Kindly note that The Heal-Air cannot prescribe or make any inferences regarding the efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for any particular purpose or condition. The applications listed on this website are suggestions based on medical literature; if in doubt please consult your doctor. Hyperbaric oxygen is not a replacement/substitute for conventional treatments. We do not take any responsibility for development/progression of any conditions . 
 
In accordance with UK and EU legislation, we confirm that there is no intention implied or otherwise that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is administered with the intention of it being a cure or as a preventative for any disease. Any references, studies or articles sited in our website do not imply that similar results will occur when the same therapy is experienced by another. 
 
Please note that although the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has been established in the treatment or management for a variety of indications, the evidence for its use remains uncertain which means that it is not proven by “randomized prospective controlled clinical experiment or trial” or “double blind study” which is considered to be the strongest form of scientific evidence by conventional medical standards.