Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

HBOT – Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – Budwig Center Wellness Programs

With so many people interested in anti-aging, there is a new awakening to the fantastic benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). This incredible therapy can help provide the extra oxygen we need to heal, repair, rebuild and even slow down the aging process and much more. You may be well aware that oxygen can treat various illnesses; however, it can also help prevent diseases before they develop. That is why at the Budwig Center, HBOT is part of our “Wellness” program.

More and more people are looking at various types of anti-aging therapies. In fact, it is estimated that every year people spend an estimated 58.5 billion U.S. dollars to stay young and healthy. The air we breathe contains only 20.9% oxygen. HBOT works by exposing the body to an atmosphere of 100% oxygen in an enclosed chamber where the atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled.

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People are turning to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as the “Fountain of Youth”

HBOT has been the therapy of choice for many top actors, actresses, and models, who work hard to stay looking and feeling their best.  It’s no surprise that many consider HBOT as a key to staying young and energetic. What is the science behind it? Well, telomeres, which is a compound structure at the end of a chromosome, shorten with age. The progressive shortening of telomeres leads to senescence, apoptosis (death of cells), or oncogenic transformation of somatic cells, affecting the health and lifespan of an individual. Shorter telomeres have been associated with increased incidence of diseases and poor survival. A new study from Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the Shamir Medical Center in Israel discovered a lengthening of up to 38% of the telomeres, as well as a decrease of up to 37% in the presence of senescent cells. Professor Efrati says “Today telomere shortening is considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of the biology of aging”.

Benefits of HBOT

• HBOT helps elevate your body’s natural immune defenses. It does this by providing extra oxygen to improve your supply of circulating stem cells and enhance leukocytes’ function (white blood cells), which fight off infection and bacteria.
• Helps patients think faster, feel greater vitality, and have less pain. Cognitive decline is a concern for many of us as we age. As well as helping brain injury patients recover, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may also boost your brain’s everyday performance and improve mental clarity thanks to the extra oxygen supply.
• Skin rejuvenation as an abundance of oxygen increases collagen production. Your body’s ability to produce collagen begins to decline around the age of 25, which leads to less firm skin and more wrinkles and sagging.
• Sleep better and deeper and feel more rested in the morning.
• Severe anemia is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body’s tissues.
• Helps reduce inflammation, which is the cause of many diseases, by stimulating healthy genes and stem cells to reproduce rapidly.
• Helps regulate growth hormones, improves concentration, and increases serotonin levels.
• Stimulates wound healing and reduces scar formation and severe burns.
• Oxygen destroys bacteria and infections.
• Combat age-related macular degeneration and reduce glaucoma.
• Improves heart muscle functioning, thus reducing the risk of heart attack
• Helps with many serious diseases such as: Arthritis, Cerebral Palsy, Concussion, traumatic brain injury, Lyme disease, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Scleroderma Spinal cord injuries, Sports Injuries/Athletic Recovery Stroke, Autism, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Chronic pain, Depression, Dementia, Fibromyalgia, Migraines/headaches, Inflammatory bowel disease, Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, Pancreatitis, Combats and prevents circulatory diseases including diabetes, etc.
• HBOT has also proven effective in treating virtually any condition in which poor circulation plays a role, including everything from traumatic brain injury to ADD/ADHD.

How Do HBOT Sessions Work?

During your first session, we’ll gather your medical history and help you learn about how hyperbaric works. The hyperbaric treatment lasts 45 minutes, where you’ll simply relax in the hyperbaric chamber or even watch a movie!

To see significant health improvements, most people need 10 to 20 treatments, one session per day, five days a week.

Often, pressure in the chamber is between 1.5 and 3 times greater than normal air pressure. Because the pressure is so high, some people may have discomfort. You may have ear pain or a popping feeling in your ears while in the chamber.

Clinics and hospitals that treat serious illnesses will have patients do 1-to-2-hour sessions and a short break to breathe normal air.  Our device at the Budwig Center is designed for minor ailments, insomnia, anti-aging, increased energy, improved cognitive skills, etc., with just 45-minute sessions.

Oxygen may change the effects of certain medications. Certain chemotherapies, topical ointments used for wounds, and medicine that prevents alcohol intake for patients with a history of alcohol abuse cannot be taken in combination with HBOT. Be sure to speak with your physician and health care providers in advance to discuss what medications you’re taking.

Hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy sessions last a little over two hours and are generally scheduled once a day, five days a week. Your doctor may prescribe 30 or more treatments before the therapy is complete. How many treatments you have is often dependent on how quickly your condition improves.

HBOT is Not For Everyone

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not safe for everyone. In general, you shouldn’t receive HBOT if you:

• Have certain types of lung diseases, because of an increased risk for a collapsed lung
• Have a collapsed lung
• Epilepsy; certain conditions affecting the inner ear or lungs; or hyperglycemia.
• Have a cold or a fever
• Have had recent ear surgery or injury
• Do not like small, enclosed spaces (claustrophobia)