In order for all organs and systems in the body to function normally, each cell needs oxygen. Gas quality also has important. Unfavorable environmental conditions associated with the development of various industries provoke the emergence of many pathologies. This prompted scientists to create a physiotherapeutic treatment method during which the patient can breathe pure oxygen. This method called "hyperbaric oxygenation". The procedure is carried out in special capsules - pressure chambers.

The essence and features of treatment

IN modern world The vast majority of the population (especially people who live in cities) suffer from a lack of oxygen. Hypoxia is oxygen starvation, which has a detrimental effect on all organs. The nervous and cardiovascular systems are primarily affected.

It is important to know that a pressure chamber is a device that in a short time eliminates oxygen deficiency, filling every cell of the body with it. By appearance The capsule resembles a bathyscaphe designed to be submerged in water. The hyperbaric chamber is sealed, so when the patient is inside it, he may experience sensations similar to those that occur during takeoff and landing of an airplane (increased pressure, congestion in the ears, slight dizziness). The doctor monitors the progress of the procedure through special windows in the capsule; instrument readings help control the process.

The essence of treatment in a pressure chamber is as follows: the patient is placed in a chamber that is hermetically sealed, after which the process of supplying gas is started under pressure, which is maximally enriched with molecules pure oxygen. They freely penetrate all cells as long as the person is inside the capsule. Many people report improvement general well-being already after the first session.

Positive Impact

Using an oxygen pressure chamber you can get rid of not only hypoxia, but also some pathologies.

After a course of procedures, the following changes occur in the patient’s body:

• fungal diseases recede;
• the cardiovascular system is strengthened;
• the body's resistance to the action of pathogenic microorganisms increases;
• the condition of diabetes mellitus of any type improves;
• blood circulation is normalized;
• Positive changes are noted in diseases of a gynecological nature.

Despite the fact that the hyperbaric chamber is a method that involves treatment with pure oxygen, you must first consult with your doctor.

In what cases is it prescribed?

Since hypoxia has a negative impact on overall health, it is important to be able to recognize it at the first signs.

These include:

• sleep disturbance;
• constant feeling of fatigue;
• fatigue quickly even after a long rest;
• deterioration in general health;
• psycho-emotional instability.

In addition to hypoxia, indications for a pressure chamber are:

• gas poisoning;
• the process of death of soft tissues;
• recovery period after suffered a heart attack or stroke;
• rehabilitation after surgery;
• diseases cardiovascular system;
• pathological processes in the respiratory organs;
• thrombosis;
• treatment after mechanical asphyxia;
• stomach ulcer and duodenum;
• organ diseases endocrine system;
• various types of injuries;
• burns;
• dermatological diseases;
• rehabilitation after drug addiction treatment.

The doctor tells you what the hyperbaric chamber treats before the procedure.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a method that is widely used in obstetrics, since oxygen therapy is preferable and safer than taking medications.

During pregnancy, procedures are prescribed for:

• intrauterine growth retardation;
• risk of spontaneous abortion;
• iron deficiency;
• pathologies of the placenta;
• weakening protective forces the body of the expectant mother.

Immediately after the procedure, the pregnant woman’s well-being and mood improve, and her blood pressure normalizes.

In addition, the method is often used in neonatology. With its help, newborn children are treated for lack of oxygen, circulatory disorders and various injuries received during childbirth. In some cases, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a salvation for children who are born ahead of schedule or have serious illnesses.

When should this method of therapy not be used?

Like any other method of treatment, the procedure in a pressure chamber has both indications and contraindications. In order to be sure that the pressure chamber will provide exceptional positive impact, you must consult your doctor in advance. He will assess the adequacy of the method, taking into account all individual characteristics patient's health.

The main contraindications to the pressure chamber are:

• high blood pressure values;
• viral infections in the acute stage;
• claustrophobia (a condition characterized by the appearance of pathological fear when entering a confined space);
• abscesses;
• cystic formations in the lungs;
• epilepsy;
• inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx;
• inguinal hernia;
• bleeding.

During an individual consultation with a specialist, the list of contraindications can be expanded.

Methodology

Despite the fact that in a pressure chamber a person breathes pure oxygen, the concentration of which is 5 times higher than in the surrounding air, no preparation rules are required before the procedure. The only recommendation is to come to the session in the most comfortable clothes possible.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. The patient is placed on a soft retractable couch and placed in a pressure chamber. The capsule is then hermetically sealed. Some medical institutions use pressure chambers large size, which can accommodate about 10 people at a time.
2. The doctor begins to gradually increase the pressure. As soon as it reaches the required level, the specialist asks the person to put it on his face. special mask and starts the gas supply. At the same time, he is constantly interested in the patient’s well-being.
3. At the end of the session, it is recommended to remain in a lying position for a few minutes. After this, you can return to your normal activities.

The duration of the procedure depends on the indications, as a rule, it ranges from 30 minutes to two hours.

While in the pressure chamber you need to:

• relax as much as possible and maintain a calm breathing rhythm;
• Swallow periodically to relieve ear discomfort.

Possible complications

What are the indications and contraindications for the procedure in a pressure chamber were mentioned above. If contraindications were not taken into account when prescribing oxygen treatment, the risk of the following complications increases:

• myopia, which can be either short-term or prolonged (up to several months);
• damage to lung tissue;
• middle ear injuries;
• muscle cramps;
• respiratory failure;
• worsening the course of existing diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• damage to the eardrum;
• accumulation of fluid in the lungs.

Immediately after the procedure, the following conditions are considered normal: sensations of discomfort and congestion in the ears, mild dizziness.

Alarming symptoms are:

• visual impairment;
• cough;
• pain in the chest or ears.

The appearance of one or more signs serves as a signal to immediately consult a doctor.

Cost of the procedure

Oxygen treatment is a service provided by both public and private medical institutions in the hyperbaric oxygenation department.

Both safety and technical equipment must meet all established standards; not every institution can afford this, which is why there are not many of them. The availability of this service must be checked at the clinic reception desks; specialists can also tell you where pressure chambers are available.

The price of one procedure can vary from 700 to 3500 rubles.

Oxygen is vital for the human body; the presence of a sufficient amount of oxygen is one of the main conditions for normal functioning cells. If there is not enough oxygen, hypoxia develops - oxygen starvation, which leads first to disruption of the activity of cells, then tissues, and then to their death.

It is known that oxygen starvation is the main cause of the development of pathological processes in tissues in any type of inflammation, therefore the mechanism for maintaining all chronic diseases is also based on hypoxia. It is this mechanism that contributes, among other things, to the development cancerous tumors, since it is known that the lack of oxygen is precisely the environment favorable for malignant cells in which they feel in the best possible way, dividing unhindered and displacing normal cells weakened by oxygen starvation. Understanding these mechanisms has led to the development of one non-drug treatment, namely pressurized oxygen therapy, or hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO). This method of treatment was discovered quite a long time ago - back in 1955, and since then, being widely used in medical practice, has proven itself from the best side.

How hyperbaric oxygen therapy works

Oxygen enters every cell of the body through the bloodstream. In case of vascular obstruction (atherosclerotic changes, inflammatory edema, blood clots, etc.) blood does not reach required quantities to some organs, which triggers the mechanism of hypoxia. And on the contrary, the entry of oxygen into such tissues allows them to regenerate, restore those cells that can be saved, destroy and remove those cells that can no longer be restored, and grow new ones in their place.

The increased pressure created artificially in the pressure chamber, with the simultaneous supply of oxygen, leads to the saturation of the blood with oxygen more than it occurs in normal conditions. Saturated blood delivers it to the most distant organs and tissues that are in dire need of it. Having received the necessary “fuel”, the cells launch the recovery mechanism damaged tissue, and this applies to all tissues without exception - nervous, muscle, bone, cartilage, etc. As for adipose tissue, oxygen contributes to its normalization, during which excess fat deposits are “burned” and necessary fat, for example, in the myelin fibers of nerves, is strengthened.

Indications for oxygen treatment

Oxygen treatment is indicated for many diseases characterized by impaired peripheral blood supply. It was already mentioned above that in addition to the actual diseases of the cardiovascular system, circulatory disorders in the capillaries are common to everyone without exception. chronic diseases. In addition, the hyperbaric oxygen therapy method is used for general strengthening body, strengthening the immune system, it is considered as great way prevention of many diseases, including cancer.

Excellent results can be achieved when treating the following conditions with oxygen:

• Anemia;
• Diabetic foot and other circulatory disorders in the lower extremities;
• Furunculosis;
• Periodontal disease;
• Diabetes mellitus;
• Scleroderma;
• Obliterating endarteritis;
• Raynaud's disease;
• Coronary heart disease;
• Post-infarction and post-stroke conditions;
• Chronic enterocolitis;
• Hepatitis;
• Cirrhosis;
• Pancreatitis acute and chronic;
• Diffuse toxic goiter;
• Chronic inflammatory processes in the pelvis;
• Psoriasis;
• Bedsores;
• Hearing loss;
• Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• Alcohol and drug withdrawal;
• Mental illnesses accompanied by cerebrovascular insufficiency;
• Multiple sclerosis;
• Obesity;
• Rehabilitation cancer patients after courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

In addition, the method of hyperbaric oxygenation is the main method of treatment for intoxication with combustion products and other toxic substances binding oxygen in the blood (cyanides, etc.), decompression syndrome, air embolism, gas gangrene, long-term non-healing wounds, frostbite, suffocation, all types of traumatic ischemia, including long-term compression syndrome (crash syndrome).

A course of oxygen treatment helps you recover faster and avoid late complications after surgical interventions And traumas suffered, helps the rehabilitation of athletes after exhausting training, is successful in all types of fatigue, stress, and is especially effective in the treatment of insomnia. The method does not have side effects, allows you to reduce and sometimes completely eliminate the drug load, and therefore is recommended in the practice of treating childhood diseases - for the same main indications as in adults, and for treatment and prevention dangerous conditions in pregnant women.

Contraindications to hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Unfortunately, there is no panacea yet, and oxygen treatment is no exception. There are diseases for which hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not recommended, as there is a risk of worsening the patient's condition. These include:

• Epilepsy;
• Therapy resistant arterial hypertension with blood pressure levels exceeding 160/90 mm Hg. Art.;
• Polysegmental bilateral inflammation lungs;
• Abscesses, cysts, cavities in the lungs;
• Pneumothorax without drainage;
• Various disorders in paranasal sinuses nose and eustachian tubes that impede their patency (developmental anomalies, inflammatory processes accompanied by swelling, polyps);
• Claustrophobia.

How do HBO sessions work?

The pressure chamber is a structure similar to an underwater bathyscaphe - a sealed capsule with transparent windows, where the patient is placed in a lying position. Actually, his task is simply to lie down and breathe oxygen-saturated air. The capsule is equipped with sensors that determine pressure and oxygen content; they are monitored and regulated by a doctor or nurse who are near the patient during a hyperbaric oxygenation session.

The conditions created in the pressure chamber correspond to a dive of 5 m from sea level. Therefore, during an HBOT session, the patient may experience a feeling of stuffiness in the ears, in fact, that’s all discomfort are exhausted.

The course of oxygen treatment is set depending on the indications, as a rule, it is from 5 to 10 sessions. The duration of the session is from 20 minutes to 1 hour, it is also determined by the doctor.

After completing the course of treatment, all patients note not only an improvement in the course of the underlying disease, but also an improvement general condition, therefore, the hyperbaric oxygenation method can also be recommended for those who do not have any special health problems in order to avoid developing them for as long as possible.

A person can live without water and food from several days to several weeks, but it is enough to cut off the supply of oxygen for one or two minutes and death occurs. Oxygen deficiency is destructive for tissues and organs. well known fact...

When any pathology occurs in the body, the supply of oxygen to the diseased organ becomes difficult. This occurs due to vascular spasm, tissue swelling, inflammation, or due to a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which delivers oxygen to the organs. When oxygen delivery is impaired, it develops hypoxia(oxygen starvation).

To treat these conditions there are various ways oxygen therapy (oxygen therapy). However, at normal atmospheric pressure, even breathing pure oxygen is often unable to eliminate hypoxia at the cellular level.

The only way to increase the amount of oxygen carried by the blood is to use a pressure chamber. In a pressure chamber when increasing atmospheric pressure oxygen penetrates tissues better (under pressure, gases dissolve better in liquids). This method was called hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO). Thus, using a pressure chamber, it is possible to eliminate oxygen starvation in a diseased organ, restore its function and resistance to pathogenic factors. In addition, according to observations, during HBOT treatment sessions, in people the body's adaptive capabilities increase, and the risk of disease is reduced.

What does a hyperbaric chamber treat?

The range of diseases for which the use of the HBOT method is indicated is quite wide. Oxygen therapy is especially effective for the following pathologies:

• Vascular: obliterating diseases of the vessels of the extremities, trophic ulcers as a result of circulatory disorders, gas embolism of blood vessels, etc.
• Cardiac: coronary heart disease (CHD), angina pectoris, arrhythmias, extrasystoles, heart failure, decompensation of post-infarction conditions.
• Gastrointestinal tract: peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, post-hemorrhagic syndrome after stomach bleeding, intestinal diseases.
• Liver: acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver failure.
• Central and nervous system: ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, spinal cord injury.
• Ocular: retinal circulatory disorders, diabetic retinopathy, dystrophy optic nerve in case of poisoning with methyl alcohol.
• Endocrine system: decompensated insulin dependent diabetes, complications of diabetes, diffuse toxic goiter.
• Maxillofacial: periodontal disease, necrotizing gingivitis and stomatitis, healing after plastic surgery.
• Obstetrics: intrauterine fetal hypoxia, threat of miscarriage, fetal malnutrition, immunoconflict pregnancy, pregnancy with concomitant pathology, pathology of the endocrine system in women, infertility of various etiologies.
• Wound: prevention of wound infection, flaccid granulating wounds, burn wound surfaces, frostbite, postoperative wounds V plastic surgery and others.
• Poisonings: poisoning with carbon monoxide, methemoglobin-forming substances, cyanides.
• Caisson diseases, air and gas embolism.
• Marked improvement noted sexual function in elderly men after completing a course of hyperbaric oxygenation. And also in the treatment of prostatitis, chronic inflammatory diseases pelvic organs in women.
• Radiation injuries: radiation osteonecrosis, myelitis, enteritis; special group are patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy for oncological diseases.
• IN recent years In addition to the above situations, this method was used to treat various conditions. In narcology There is successful experience in using a pressure chamber to relieve withdrawal symptoms.
• The use of HBO therapy is recommended during preparation and after surgical operations: the patient quickly and painlessly recovers from anesthesia, healing time is significantly reduced and the risk of complications is reduced. Based on this wide application HBOT in cosmetology and plastic surgery.
• IN sports medicine received impressive results in terms of increasing the level of training of athletes and accelerating recovery after training loads.
• U healthy people the use of the hyperbaric oxygenation method is based on the unique complex action of oxygen under high blood pressure, significantly increasing the adaptive capabilities of the body. HBOT normalizes many body systems and reduces the risk of disease.

Sessions in a pressure chamber: relieve fatigue; restore strength after hard work; increase muscle tone; have anti-stress, restorative and tonic effects; reduce the adverse effects of polluted atmosphere. According to reviews from patients who have undergone HBOT, after the hyperbaric chamber they all note an increase in performance and stabilization of their psycho-emotional state.

How is oxygen treatment performed in a pressure chamber?

To conduct an HBO session, special pressure chambers (pressure chambers) are used, in which increased oxygen pressure is created under sealed conditions. In the Dnepropetrovsk regional hospital named after. I.I. Mechnikov has modern domestic and foreign barotherapy devices that provide comfortable conditions during a treatment session. The patient is in a pressure chamber in a free position (lying or sitting), inhaling healing oxygen. He may even sleep during the session.

Before HBO sessions, the patient is examined, a diagnosis is made, and the necessary laboratory tests, after which the doctor prescribes a course of treatment, and, if necessary, concomitant therapy. Time and the number of sessions is assigned individually and depends on the diagnosis and indications. Typically, depending on the pathology, the duration of treatment is 5-15 sessions for 40-60 minutes each.

The attending physician constantly monitors the patient's condition. As a rule, patients tolerate HBOT sessions well. A proven methodology and constant monitoring guarantee the absence of unwanted effects.

HBO therapy is an opportunity to use the most modern scientific developments. In an atmosphere of healing pure oxygen, the patient will get rid of many diseases and gain health and vigor. We sincerely wish you good health and vigor.

If you have any questions or doubt whether oxygen treatment will help you, contact us right now and we will be happy to help you.

The word “hyperbaric chamber” sounds somewhat scary. What kind of device this is and what it is intended for, few people know. In fact, there is nothing scary about this word. This is for hyperbaric oxygenation - a small hermetically sealed space in which pressure is created below or above atmospheric pressure. In appearance, the pressure chamber resembles a bathyscaphe with portholes, only it is not in the depths of the sea, but in a bright, sterile room. Barotherapy was first used in 1955.

Operating principle of HBO

The hyperbaric chamber is a unique opportunity to use the latest scientific developments for treatment. The very principle of its operation is determined by the laws of physics, which are regulated by the dissolution of gases in the interstitial fluid. Everyone knows that a person can survive without food and water for no more than a month, but in a matter of minutes it leads to death.

Absolutely in front of everyone pathological processes When oxygen delivery to tissues is impaired, hypoxia develops. Vital organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and liver cannot function properly. The causes of hypoxia can be different: low hemoglobin, poor cross-country ability blood vessels, heart failure, respiratory system diseases.

To resolve these conditions, specialists developed oxygen therapy. For this, special equipment is used - a pressure chamber. Treatment under pressure can increase the body's resistance to unfavorable factors. It has been proven that even clean atmospheric air cannot eliminate hypoxia at the cellular level.

Under pressure, oxygen dissolves faster in the interstitial fluid and blood plasma, thereby delivering required quantity nitrogen to organs. As a result, the affected area restores its functions. The conditions created in the medical chamber are equivalent to diving five meters under water. During the session, the patient’s ears may become blocked, but this is where all the unpleasant sensations end.

Benefits of barotherapy

The method has wide range positive effects. Barotherapy has an anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect, accelerates the formation and normalizes collagen production. So, to the question: “Hyperbaric chamber - what is it?” can you answer as follows: this is modern technical device, which is used with medicinal and preventive purpose, restores blood flow, promotes capillary proliferation and prevents the development of osteoporosis, which has been clinically proven.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy allows you to minimize drug therapy, shorten the recovery period, help patients cope with severe chronic pathologies and will significantly strengthen immune system. It is also actively used for treatment erectile dysfunction in men. HBOT shows successful results in narcology (relieves withdrawal syndrome), surgery, cosmetology, pediatrics and veterinary medicine.

Where is the method used?

Hyperbaric oxygenation included in the complex health activities in many sanatoriums and health centers. The procedures significantly reduce the risk of developing dangerous diseases, have a general strengthening and tonic effect, relieve irritability, pathological fatigue and increase muscle tone. After a full course of therapy, patients note an improvement in their psycho-emotional state and increased performance.

Physiotherapy is used in sports medicine to speed up recovery period after injuries and physical activity. The number and time of the session is calculated individually. On average, the duration of therapy ranges from 5 to 12 sessions. The residence time in the oxygen room is about an hour. The hyperbaric chamber is usually well tolerated.

Indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy

In addition to problems with the heart, blood vessels and blood circulation, the method is used to treat almost all chronic illnesses. used to combat diabetes mellitus, periodontal disease, scleroderma, furunculosis, obliterating endarteritis, liver cirrhosis, psoriasis and peptic ulcer stomach.

The method is indispensable for hepatitis (of any form), pancreatitis, hearing loss, mental illness, enterocolitis, multiple sclerosis, disturbed cerebral circulation and obesity. In addition, it is used to treat intoxication with any toxic products, gas gangrene, frostbite, and also relieves various wounds and traumatic ischemia.

Contraindications

Unfortunately, HBOT, like any other therapeutic procedure, is not a panacea. Experts do not recommend its use for people with high blood pressure, epilepsy, polyps, acute colds, cysts, abscesses and fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia), as well as blood diseases and elevated temperature. In all other cases shows excellent results oxygen pressure chamber. What kind of vessel this is and what it is needed for was described above. Health and prosperity!

Saturation of the body with oxygen using hyperbaric oxygenation is indicated for any type of hypoxia ( oxygen starvation fabrics). Treatment is carried out in special pressure chambers. HBOT has been proven to have an anti-inflammatory and general tonic effect, increase blood circulation, and increase the effectiveness of medications after sessions.

Read in this article

The essence of the method

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a way to increase the oxygen content in the blood and other tissues of the body by inhaling it under increased pressure in a pressure chamber. The lack of this gas inhibits the processes of obtaining energy and metabolism in the body.

Oxygen starvation (hypoxia) can occur when the patency of the arteries is impaired (inflammation, anatomical defects), pathology of the respiratory tract, or a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin transporting it (anemia).

The brain and heart cells are the most sensitive to the oxygen content in the blood, since they intensively consume it throughout the day and are deprived of the ability to store energy for future use.

To eliminate hypoxia, it is not enough to inhale ordinary oxygen, since it penetrates mainly into respiratory tract, whereas high blood pressure promotes better dissolution of gas in the blood, as well as its entry into cells. This stimulates the formation of energy and the removal of metabolic products.

Saturating the body with oxygen not only helps eliminate the consequences of tissue ischemia, but also accelerates the restoration of organ activity, increases immune protection and adaptive (adaptive) reactions to various stressful influences. Under the influence of barotherapy sessions, systemic blood circulation and microcirculation are activated.

Indications for HBOT

Treating patients with hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be the primary treatment for initial stages diseases or during rehabilitation, but most often it is combined with medication and physiotherapeutic treatment. It is indicated for:

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