Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been around for decades, but initially, it was only available at dedicated treatment clinics. In recent years, at-home hyperbaric oxygen chambers have become more common. But why would someone purchase one of these devices? What are they used for? The following are a few key ways in which people use at-home hyperbaric oxygen chambers.
Wound Healing
Wounds need oxygen to heal. This is why many wounds heal faster when uncovered, versus when they are covered with a bandage. Hyperbaric oxygen chambers expose your skin to a higher concentration of oxygen than is found in normal air. Spending some time in the chamber each day while a wound is healing can speed up the healing process. This can be useful after surgery when you have an incision that needs healing. It can also be helpful if you are a diabetic whose wounds tend to heal slowly, or if you have a wound you need to heal before a big or important event. People have even used hyperbaric oxygen chambers to speed up the healing of their acne lesions.
Infection Treatment
Many bacteria do better in the absence of oxygen than in the presence of oxygen. This is true of some staphylococcal species and other bacterial species that cause skin infections. If you develop such a skin infection, the advised protocol is usually to take antibiotics. But antibiotic resistance has made infections harder to treat in this way. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can therefore come in handy. It will expose the infected area to more oxygen, helping slow down the replication of bacteria so your body can get a leg-up on fighting the bacteria, whether or not you're also taking antibiotics.
Depression
Depression is a complex condition. Every case of depression is different, and some patients do not respond as well as others to conventional treatments such as SSRIs and talk therapy. For those whose depression is resistant to treatment, spending time in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber can be helpful. The higher levels of oxygen can help stimulate parts of your brain that are less active when you're struggling with depression. Just a short session each day can make a difference, and combining this therapy with other treatments is generally safe.
If you struggle with any of the issues above, it may be worth purchasing a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
For more information, contact a company like Next Level Oxygen.
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