HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR BREAST CANCER RADIATION INJURY

WHAT IS HYBERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. Under these conditions, your blood plasma will absorb much more oxygen than would be possible at normal atmospheric pressure. As your blood carries this extra oxygen throughout your body, this helps fight bacteria and stimulates the release of substances called growth factors and stem cells, which promote healing.

HOW DOES HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY WORK?

Under normal circumstances, only red blood cells transport oxygen through the blood. In some cases this may not be adequate to deliver enough oxygen to radiation injured tissues. Oxygen has a profound influence over wound healing, and any oxygen deficiency stunts the body’s ability to heal injuries.

Without oxygen, cells can’t produce the energy needed for bacterial defense, regeneration, collagen synthesis, or essential reparative functions. Instead, the healing process slows until it comes to a full halt. The body needs concentrated oxygen flow to overcome its deficiencies —Simply inhaling oxygen is not enough.

Pure and pressurized oxygen helps promote wound healing in several ways. Oxygen is normally concentrated in our red blood cells, but through HBOT, oxygen is dissolved into other bodily fluids (like plasma) and then transported to areas starved for oxygen. This process:

• Reduces tissue swelling by flooding cells with oxygen.
• Promotes formation of new blood vessels, connective tissue, and skin cells.
• Prevents tissue damage by encouraging natural oxygen radical scavengers to seek out problem areas.
• Resists infection by blocking harmful bacteria and strengthening the immune system.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy makes it possible to deliver the concentrated oxygen needed for wound healing. Using an FDA-approved medical grade hard-sided hyperbaric chamber, this therapy helps oxygen dissolve directly into all of the body’s fluids so that it can thoroughly permeate areas where circulation has become reduced or blocked.

This essential benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy stimulates and supports the body’s own healing process. When white blood cells receive enough oxygen, they can effectively kill bacteria, reduce swelling, and allow the rapid reproduction of new blood vessels. It even enables cells to build new connective tissue.