Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Essay

The Sanskirt Proverb states, “for breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth” This could not be more true. Without oxygen, life itself would be nonexistent. Imagine what would happen if wounds did not get better, incisions did not heal, and burns did not improve. This is where hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) comes into play. Oxygen is necessary for the replenishment of tissues, healing of the body and assisting with general ailments. HBOT is used for a wide variety of treatments usually as requested in a medical care plan (Society, 1996). In this paper I will introduce what hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the benefits of HBOT, and the many different conditions HBOT helps treat.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment which enhances the body’s natural healing process by inhalation of 100% oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled (Koetters, 2006). Under normal circumstances, oxygen is transported throughout the body only by red blood cells. With HBOT, oxygen is dissolved into all of the body’s fluids, the plasma, the central nervous system fluids, the lymph, and the bone. It can be carried to areas where circulation is
Many years ago attempts at creating hyperbaric chambers for compressed gases and ability to access oxygen better have been discovered. As stated in the history of hyperbaric medicine, it is well known that the origins and development of hyperbaric oxygen treatment are tied to the history of diving medicine. Today, HBOT has many uses other than solely for dive medicine. It has now evolved into standard medical practices. HBOT is very beneficial and useful in nearly everyday medicine. If more people had access to HBOT for injury/illness whether from diving or to treat different medical conditions, quality of life would exceed beyond people’s