Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Sometimes your body needs help to heal. This is where hyperbaric oxygen therapy comes in. During treatment, your body is exposed to pure oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber. This helps your wounds heal faster.

How Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Works

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy includes three phases – compression, decompression and treatment. The three-part treatment takes two hours. A hyperbaric technician is with you at all times during your treatment.

Compression starts as soon as you are in the chamber and the door is closed. You may feel a slow increase in pressure and hear air moving in the chamber. As your body reacts to the change in pressure, you may feel fullness in your ears, like when flying in an airplane.
Treatment starts when the chamber pressure reaches the amount prescribed by your doctor. During hyperbaric treatment, the air pressure around you is increased while pure oxygen is administered. The added pressure and pure oxygen on the body tissues helps new small blood vessels grow. The fullness in your ears will go away. Most patients find this part of therapy very relaxing.
Decompression is when the chamber pressure returns to normal. This takes about 10 minutes. You may feel your ears popping as the chamber returns to normal pressure.

In most cases, there are no side effects to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Some people may feel tired after a treatment. Other people may feel a popping in their ears. Sometimes, a patient may have small changes in vision. The changes are temporary. Let your hyperbaric unit technician or doctor know if this continues.

In rare cases, some patients may have unpleasant effects. Your hyperbaric unit doctor and hyperbaric unit technician will tell you more before you agree to the treatment.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Expertise

Our hyperbaric oxygen therapy team is one of the most experienced in southwest and southcentral Michigan. The team consists of registered nurses, a certified oxygen technician and a respiratory therapist.

Patients with the following conditions may benefit from HBOT: