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Pressured Back to Health: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy by John Ruhland, ND
Generally, the red blood cells already have 95 percent or higher oxygen saturation. There usually is little increase in the oxygen that red blood cells can carry under normal conditions. The pressure chamber forces an oxygen-rich situation, in much the same way carbon dioxide is forced into a bottle of soda. Increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood has been clearly demonstrated in Europe, Russia and China to improve healing for a wide range of acute and chronic illnesses. In the U.S., there are 13 FDA-approved uses for HBOT:
Here is a partial list of HBOT uses:
Russia and China are the world's leaders in manufacturing hyperbaric chambers and utilization of HBOT therapy. This may be, in part, due to their socialized medical systems. In some countries, the government pays for HBOT treatments for autism, cerebral palsy, and brain injuries including traumatic brain injury. Great Britain’s partially socialized healthcare system treats multiple sclerosis with HBOT therapy. In the U.S., no hospital will treat a multiple sclerosis patient in their hyperbaric chamber, no matter how ill the person is. While it will not cure MS, it will safely and consistently help manage symptoms. With other diseases, such as non-healing wounds and even necrotizing fasciitis, HBOT can actually cure. U.S. physicians are unlikely to know more than two of the approved uses of HBOT, even though it may be the best treatment option for many other conditions. While the therapy theory is elegantly simple, the chamber equipment is complicated in that it must be able to withstand high pressures, and provide redundant safety features. There have been a few, small scientific studies in the U.S. on several of the so-called “off-label” HBOT uses. With few chambers in operation in the U.S., and little funding, researching diseases that could potentially be cured by HBOT therapy is very difficult. In the meantime, the FDA restricts claims for “off-label” uses of HBOT. I refer patients with serious and life-threatening conditions to Virginia Mason, which will take them if their illness is on the list of FDA-approved indications. Offering HBOT here in Seattle since 2001, my primary interest was been to make treatment available to all patients for whom it could be of potential benefit, primarily those that Virginia Mason will not accept. If you have a condition you think may benefit from HBOT, call me at 206-723-4891.
September 9, 2008 Back to the page of Articles. |
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John F. Ruhland, ND — The Natural Health Medical Clinic, LLC 206-725-7707 If no answer, call 206-723-4891 and email us: info@drruhland.com 4002 25th Avenue S - on Beacon Hill just south of downtown Seattle We don’t discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, class, country of origin, gender, or sexual orientation. Please leave cell phone and wireless devices in your car, and perfume/cologne in its bottle.
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