Hyperbaric oxygen treatment - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

aitana · 09-27-2005, 01:12 PM

I wonder if anyone has any experience with
hyperbaric oxygen treatment
(HBOT) for spinal injuries. I was operated on for a
cervical stenosis a year
ago but instead of improving I am somewhat worse. I
am currently testing microcurrent therapy but I have
read about HBOT for cerebral palsy
and MS, where there have been great successes. I
have made enquiries concerning its application to spinal injuries
in Delhi, NZ, Mexico, Alberta, Buenos Aires & Alicante
and have had replies from Alberta and
from Delhi, the latter offering to try it out on me. Actually
the leading centre seems to be in Melbourne, Australia, whose
website is very informative.
Any thoughts, experiences, etc?

dootag · 09-27-2005, 09:37 PM

Hello Aitana,
Right up front I want to tell you I've never heard of Hyperbaric O2 treatment for the diseases you quote. I have a Hyperbaric Treatment Center across the street from my office and I am quite familiar with what they do. I have had business dealing with the Director.

What you describe might be new science. However, your likely know that the chambers are used to force O2 under pressure into surface wounds that wont heal. The O2 helps the healing process and works well with a number of surface traumas. There has been some experimentation with certain skin diseases also. You have to ask yourself why someone would use a very expensive Hyperbaric Chamber to increase the O2 level in your blood when a simple O2 mask or cannula and a simple compressed bottle or O2 generator would do.

If you want some professional input contact Divers Alert Network (DAN) at Duke University. They are a non-profit professional diving medicine organization. Their Medical Information Line is 919.684.2948 or 800.446.2671. You have a very interesting question and I believe that as people of science they will be interested. One reason I say this is that a Hyperbaric Chamber can be used in a diving emergency for recompression.

dootag

aitana · 09-28-2005, 02:00 AM

Hi dootag
In the research I have done I found centres all over the world treating CP and MS together with a host of other conditions with HBOT. The best and most thorough explanation is to be found on www.spinalrehab.com.au . In the US HBOT is approved by FDA and medicare for lots of conditions. You might want to look at www.florida-oxygen.com also which contains a list of approved and unapproved uses. About the unapproved conditions a great deal of research is being carried out and I for one don't mind taking part, especially if there is a chance of benefitting from it. Have alook at some of the case studies on the Melbourne site, including two for spinal stenosis.

aitana · 09-30-2005, 09:29 AM

Further to my last post, I am going on holiday to India next week and have arranged a consultation at the Indrasthra Apollo Hospital in Delhi. If they decide to treat me I will stay on after my holiday for a two-month course of treatment and report back in due course.