Hyperbaric wellness is achieving mainstream status, particularly as use by world-class athletes is revealed. As athletes at the peak of their physical abilities endorse the wellness benefits of a treatment, such as hyperbaric, it’s worth taking a deeper look to find out what it does and what benefits it provides.
Traditional hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
Clinical uses of hyperbaric therapy are many, and the American Food and Drug Administration has approved a number of these for medical use. These include, for example, severe anemia, arterial gas embolism (air bubbles in the blood), decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, skin and bone infections, chronic/non-healing wounds, traumatic brain injury, and many others.
Why and how is hyperbaric therapy effective? When tissue is injured or when blood is not optimally oxygenating, a supercharged method of oxygen delivery is needed. This is where hyperbaric oxygen therapy comes in. Put simply, an individual receiving HBOT relaxes in a hyperbaric chamber and breathes deeply for up to two hours. The chamber itself is pressurized up to three times the normal level of atmospheric pressure while the individual in the chamber breathes 100% pure oxygen. In normal conditions, the oxygen we breathe is about 21% oxygen. This process of enriching the blood with oxygen is called hyperoxia, and it provides a number of wellness benefits.
What are the most compelling reported benefits hyperbaric sessions may deliver for individuals seeking to oxygenate and accelerate well-being?
- Improved oxygen delivery to oxygen-deprived tissues, e.g. for faster recovery after exertion or improved healing
- Promotion of new blood vessel growth (neovascularization), which happens over the course of several hyperbaric sessions
- Regeneration of old or damaged cells
- Enhanced ability of the body to defend against certain bacteria due to a boost in white blood cell creation and the body’s immune system
- Reduction in body’s inflammatory response, which may ease pain symptoms of autoimmune disorders
- Reduction in edema/swelling thanks to better circulation
- Improved reparative and restorative qualities, such as collagen synthesis for better skin appearance and elasticity (a part of the aforementioned neovascularization)
- Improved quality of sleep
- Improved alertness/brain function/mental capacity/mood
Do-it-yourself hyperbaric wellness and benefits
Looking for alternative solutions for achieving wellness, that is, at its most fundamental, “restore normal body function”, many real-world proof points illustrate the restorative powers of hyperbaric oxygenation. Accessing pure oxygen drives the body into a regenerative state that not only helps manage the medical conditions described above (under proper medical supervision), but also contributes significant wellness benefits for individuals who want to take charge of their well-being for themselves.
With personal, portable hyperbaric chambers, the benefits are both easily accessible and safe, natural, and non-invasive to achieve. Whether the user of a hyperbaric chamber is a top-flight athlete looking to recover faster and gain every competitive edge, or is a busy professional looking for relaxation, focus and a sense of restored health and balance, hyperbaric solutions may be the natural well-being stimulant you’re looking for.
