Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a medical treatment providing you with high pressure amounts of oxygen which aids in the healing process of diseased or damaged tissues. The treatment is received while comfortably lying in a specially designed pressurized chamber where you will breathe 100% oxygen - a significant increase - versus the 21% in the air you normally breathe. The benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy results from an oxygen-enriched bloodstream - not from the oxygen's direct contact with the wound.

Based on your specific need, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can provide you with one or more of the following effects:

• Advanced wound healing
• Increased oxygen delivery to injured tissue
• Preservation of damaged tissue
• Greater blood vessel formation
• Improved infection control
• Elimination and reduced effects of toxic substances
• Reduction or elimination of gas bubble obstructions

What will my treatment be like?
The treatment occurs with you lying comfortably inside the chamber. The chamber is spacious and you will feel almost like you were lying in your own bed. You can nap, watch television, or listen to music while undergoing the therapy.

The treatment is painless, although at times you may experience a sensation of "fullness" in your ears, similar to that which you may have experienced while driving in the mountains or flying. The "fullness" feeling occurs as your eardrums respond to the change in pressure being exerted on them. Prior to starting your treatment, the hyperbaric staff will teach you how to relieve this pressure so you can avoid the ear discomfort. Your hyperbaric nurse remains with you while you undergo the treatment and will adjust the rate of compression according to your tolerance level and coach you on relieving any discomfort you might experience.

A temporary increase in chamber temperature may also be noticed during the compression period. This phase of the treatment usually lasts 10-15 minutes, depending upon how effective you are in clearing your ears.

Once you reach the prescribed pressure level, you will no longer feel the "fullness" in your ears. At this point you may nap, watch television, or listen to music during the remainder of the treatment, which may last between 90 minutes and 2 hours.

Near the end of your treatment, over a 10-15 minute time period, the pressure gradually decreases to the normal level. During the decompression phase, you may experience a "popping" sensation in your ears. This is a normal occurrence and there is no need to be concerned.

Will I have any side effects?
Generally, you will not experience any side effects from undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, some patients do report a "crackling" sensation in their ears between treatments. This can be relieved the same way your ears are cleared of pressure changes during the treatment. If the crackling should continue, please report this to a hyperbaric staff member.

Some patients also report feeling lightheaded for a few minutes following a treatment. This is a brief occurrence, and shortly thereafter patients are able to continue with their daily activities.

In rare occurrences, patients develop temporary changes in eyesight. Studies have shown that any altered vision returns to pretreatment levels within six to eight weeks after treatment ends.

As with all medical treatment, hyperbaric oxygen therapy presents some risks, but these are quite rare and will be discussed with you before you consent to therapy.

How many treatments will I need?
The number of treatments will be based on your individual need as the treatment plan is tailored to each patient. Some emergency cases require a few treatments, while other wound healing situations may require 20-40 treatments where the healing effect is gradual. Your case will be reviewed with you by the hyperbaric team.

Hyperbaric treatment is generally administered once a day, five or six days a week.

How do I prepare for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
The specific preparations you need to make will be reviewed with you in detail by your hyperbaric medicine team. Some of the preparations include:

No Smoking — Patients who smoke are required to stop smoking throughout their hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment. This is necessary in order to benefit from the effects of the oxygen therapy, as tobacco products constrict blood vessels and limit blood and oxygen delivery to these tissues.

Medication List — Some medications are not compatible with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Each drug you are taking will be reviewed individually in relation to the therapy and will be discussed with your physician if changes are necessary.

Colds and other symptoms — It is important that you notify the nursing or hyperbaric staff if you experience symptoms of a cold, flu, cough, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea or generalized body aches. These symptoms may require a temporary delay in your treatment. When your symptoms resolve, treatment can be resumed.

Clothing for your treatment — We will provide clothing for your treatment that is 100% cotton. Personal items are not permitted within the hyperbaric chamber. These include:

• cigarettes/matches/lighters
• hair spray/make-up
• perfume/deodorant/shaving lotion
• oils/grease/lotion (hair/skin products)
• books/magazines/other paper products.

Other items not permitted as they would impact the treatment (or be damaged by the treatment) are dentures, partial plates and hearing aids. You may also be asked to remove contact lenses and glasses. Please do not bring valuable items to the hyperbaric clinic.

Questions?
Please feel free to ask your doctor and/or your hyperbaric medicine team if you have any other questions or concerns. We want your treatment to be as comfortable and effective as possible.

For more information about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, call (219) 886-4899 (Northlake) or (219) 738-6647 (Southlake