Blog

Photo by Muyuan Ma on Unsplash In the ever-evolving landscape of professional sports, athletes constantly search for innovative methods to enhance their performance, speed up recovery, and prolong their careers. Recently, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been gaining traction as a healing modality in the world of high-level athletics.  This non-invasive treatment involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber or room, creating a therapeutic environment that can offer a wide variety of benefits for athletes. In this blog, we’ll explore the potential of HBOT in professional sports, especially in the National Football League (NFL), just in time for Superbowl LVIII.  Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Simply put, HBOT is the medical use of oxygen at higher than average atmospheric pressure. Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, our chambers go to 1.3 atmospheres, which is considered mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – which, while mild in pressure, is still highly effective for many chronic conditions. Oxygen is normally delivered via the bloodstream. However, the increase in pressure saturates all the body’s fluids, organs, and tissues with oxygen, allowing oxygen to reach places in your body where your vascular system doesn’t go – including the brain, which is why it’s helpful for the kinds of concussive impacts […]

Unlocking Peak Performance: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy In Professional Sports

It’s still early in 2024, and it may be time for a new approach to how you’re taking care of your health.  Are you or someone close to you ready to begin your Hyperbaric Vermont experience? Before you can explore all of the benefits mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has to offer, you’ll need a prescription.  We can provide this for you, or you may request it from your primary care provider or treating physician. This is an FDA requirement, underscoring the importance of medical oversight and professional guidance in administering this treatment. However, this is no cause for concern, and is a valuable part of your patient intake process. Hyperbaric Vermont offers both in-office and telehealth appointments designed to get to know you and the reasons for your interest in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.  During your initial assessment with our provider, we’ll review your medical records, current medications, overall health, and the specific challenges compelling you to seek HBOT. Your treatment plan will vary according to the type of health issues you are managing. This protocol aligns with the state’s commitment to ensuring patient safety and proper medical supervision. The prescription mandate serves multiple purposes, primarily: While the necessity of a […]

Why You Need a Prescription for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in ...

Photo by David Matos on Unsplash A recent groundbreaking UK Biobank study found there are 15 factors, including alcohol misuse and loneliness, that can lead to a heightened chance of developing early-onset dementia. This neurological disorder is a persistent, yet silent challenge that leaves families dealing with its emotional and physical toll. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) could be a ray of hope with potential benefits to help in the fight against this condition. Let’s explore more together because understanding is everything! Understanding the Study Results  According to the study, about four million people worldwide have dementia symptoms before their 65th birthday. Researchers in England were interested in what affects someone’s tendency to develop dementia. This includes genetics, lifestyle choices, and environmental circumstances. What they found were 15 possible factors that increased the potential early-onset risk, including: In some cases, researchers found that lower formal education and socioeconomic status were also “associated with young onset dementia incidence.”  Understanding Other Research and Factors for Alcohol Consumption NPR covered a story last February looking for answers about the relationship between alcohol use and dementia. They spoke with Dr. Keun Hye Jeon who authored a study in South Korea with some interesting findings. While […]

Bridging Hope: Unveiling the Promise of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for ...

Thanks to a generous grant from SCHIP Charitable Upscale Resale, we are taking $25 off the cost of an intake and first Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy session for residents of Hinesburg, Shelburne, and Charlotte. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), which involves breathing oxygen while enclosed in a pressurized hyperbaric chamber, is safe for use by everyone from infants to seniors, and has been well-researched and widely used around the world for decades to treat over one hundred chronic and acute health conditions. Body tissues need oxygen to function, and the increased pressure inside the chamber saturates all the fluids and tissues of the body with oxygen, resulting in a wide range of therapeutic effects including: We see a lot of chronic Lyme and Long COVID, but we also treat Traumatic Brain Injury from impacts like concussions or stroke, as well as autoimmune disorders like Lupus and Fibromyalgia, neurological conditions like MS and Parkinson’s, and inflammatory issues like arthritis. Most people with chronic conditions require 20-40 treatments, which at market rates can be prohibitively expensive – especially for people who’ve already been financially impacted by struggling with a chronic or extreme condition.  Hyperbaric Vermont is a non-profit which offers subsidized care specifically to […]

Treatment Grant From SCHIP

If you’ve watched the AppleTV+ series, For All Mankind, chances are you heard them mention (more than once) Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). The sci-fi series is inspired by the real-life Mercury 13 program and takes place in an alternate history where the Soviet Union beats the United States to the moon.  Back here on Earth, it’s always interesting to hear or see HBOT continue to sneak its way into the mainstream, thanks to everyone from celebrities to athletes. We see the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Vermont every single day we treat patients, and it makes sense that astronauts would trust this ground-breaking treatment, too.  Exploring the depths of space and delving into the mysteries of the human body might seem like distant, disparate fields. However, the seemingly unrelated concepts of space exploration and hyperbaric oxygen therapy share an intimate connection, grounded in their mutual emphasis on the profound benefits of oxygen, and how they intersect to benefit humanity. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Healing Power Beyond Limits Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a non-invasive medical treatment that involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This therapy capitalizes on the human body’s inherent capacity to heal itself when provided with increased pressure […]

For All Mankind: The Link Between Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and ...

Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash The Vermont Center For Independent Living has a program called the Sue Williams Freedom Fund (SWFF), which gives financial support to help people with disabilities achieve or maintain independence in their own homes. This fund can support people who want to get Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for brain injuries. Anyone seeking brain care support should: If you qualify for the SWFF, contact us to get started with HBOT. We can’t wait to help you heal.

HBOT Help For TBI

Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash We just received an email testimonial from a 69-year old former highway department supervisor from upstate New York: Cancer – any kind of cancer – is hard enough. The consequences of chemo and radiation make facing cancer treatment that much more difficult. We are beyond honored when we can help someone feel like their vitality and their whole self has been restored. Here’s wishing M.H. all the fishing and hiking he can handle!

Lovely Testimonial

One of the most common questions people ask us about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) other than “Will it help me?” is “What’s it like inside the chamber?” Some folks get concerned that the small area inside a chamber might make them feel claustrophobic or that the increased pressure will feel overwhelming. Other people wonder if there’s a difference between a soft chamber and a hard chamber, or whether high pressure is better than low pressure. Fortunately, these are fairly straightforward questions to answer. But first, let’s give a little background. The Pressure Pressure (what puts the BARIC in hyperbaric) is part of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy’s secret sauce. At normal atmospheric pressure (1 ATA), oxygen in the air you breathe is picked up in the lungs by the red blood cells, and carried throughout the body by the circulatory system – the network of arteries and vessels through which blood travels. This is how most medication gets delivered as well. However, when you increase atmospheric pressure (that’s where HYPER comes from), oxygen is forced into all of the fluids and tissues of the body, including places the circulatory system doesn’t reach. The Oxygen Oxygen speeds healing in all kinds of tissues […]

What’s It Like Inside A Hyperbaric Chamber?

Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash A question we get frequently has to do with how long the benefits of HBOT treatment last. Our favorite HBOT spokesguy, Dr. Jason Sonners, has a great 5-minute video on exactly this question. But for those of you in a rush, the Cliff’s Notes version of his answer is: For a deeper dive on the benefits, check out his video:

How Long Do The Benefits Of HBOT Last?

Photo by Celebrity ABC on Flickr Thinking About Celine We’ve been keeping our eye on Celine Dion, as we know she’s had to cancel all her 2024 tour dates due to the effects of Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), which is a rare disorder of the central nervous system. Folks with SPS experience rigid muscles, muscle spasms, and a great deal of chronic pain.  “There are spasms – they’re impossible to control. You know who people often jump up in the night because of a cramp in the leg or the calf? It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles. There’s little we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain.” – Claudette Dion Could HBOT Help? While there is no current research on HBOT and SPS, the NIH reports that SPS is closely linked with autoimmune diseases. We do know about HBOT’s positive effect on other autoimmune disorders such as lupus, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, and scleroderma, so it’s not unreasonable to think that HBOT could help ease the effects of SPS. Additionally, HBOT is well-known for its ability to: Autoimmune Disorders and HBOT Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, we’ve had success treating patients with autoimmune disorders and other neurological challenges like […]

HBOT And Stiff-Person Syndrome

We’re big fans of Dr. Jason Sonners, and appreciate how articulate he is about the value and merits of HBOT. In this video, he speaks with Dr. Nick Jensen and Dr. David Wardy to discuss why he incorporated HBOT into his practice, how HBOT works and why nothing else is able to do what hyperbaric therapy can do.

The Doctor Dads Podcast with Dr. Jason Sonners

People often ask us if animals can do HBOT, and if they like it. While we can’t speak for all animals, it’s probably worth having a chat with Luca, who had a spinal injury, healed with HBOT, and now can’t really be kept out of his human Kelly’s chamber.

Do Animals Like HBOT?

Image by experimentMR from Pixabay Whether you’re one of so many men who struggle silently, or you’re already taking steps to improve your erectile dysfunction, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Vermont is a treatment you may not have thought about trying.  While HBOT is anything but “new,” (its history dates back to the mid-1600s) it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as of July 2021 to assist with treating the following disorders: HBOT is even being studied for how it can help folks struggling with issues related to COVID-19 or Long COVID with clinical trials now being conducted, along with many other conditions. Research is ongoing, but showing promising results.  Can HBOT Potentially Improve My Erectile Dysfunction? Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. While it is not a primary or widely accepted treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), some studies have explored its potential benefits for improving sexual function in men. Here are a few ways in which HBOT may help men who struggle with ED: Improved Blood Flow ED is often related to inadequate blood flow to the penis. HBOT can increase the oxygen content in the […]

Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help with Erectile Dysfunction?

As much as we know about and believe in the healing power of HBOT, testimonials from our patients still get us every time! For anyone with questions about whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help people with Retinal Vein Occlusion, here’s a happy answer! Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash

HBOT Helps Heal Retinal Vein Occlusion

One of our favorite HBOT video stars is Dr. Jason Sonners from HBOT USA. His videos are smart, direct, and full of great HBOT facts. This one, Top 5 Myths About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is great, and does a fantastic job of talking about the difference between high pressure HBOT – which you tend to find in hospitals – and mild HBOT, which is what we offer. Spoiler Alert: Both are therapeutically effective, and each are appropriate for different conditions. If you have any additional questions after watching this video, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Top 5 Myths About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

There are two basic types of HBOT – high pressure HBOT and mild HBOT. Hyperbaric Vermont’s facilities provide mild HBOT, with concentrated oxygen (90-95%) at 1.3 ATA. While mild HBOT is almost always painless, one possible side effect that may occur at the beginning and/or end of treatment (during compression and decompression) is a sensation of fullness in your ears, much like what you feel when you take off or land in a plane. This feeling can be alleviated by yawning, chewing gum, or pinching your nostrils shut and exhaling gently through your nose. We also find that as patients grow accustomed to HBOT, the easier compression and decompression get. Occasionally, patients with sinus congestion will experience greater ear discomfort. This can be easily addressed by lowering the pressure in the chamber until the congestion clears – something HBOT can actually clear rather quickly. Some patients express concern that they will feel claustrophobic inside the chamber. Fortunately, our chambers are made of translucent material, have windows, and actually feel very light and roomy once they’re fully inflated. The chambers also have pressure valves and zippers which can be operated from the inside, giving patients a greater feeling of control. High-pressure oxygen […]

What Are The Side-Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

In the world of Hollywood, actors often find themselves in dangerous and physically demanding situations for the sake of their craft. Jeremy Renner, known for his roles in blockbuster movies like “The Avengers” and “The Bourne Legacy,” faced one such harrowing incident when he was involved in a nearly fatal snowplow accident. This incident brought to light the remarkable benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in his recovery journey. The Snowplow Accident In the winter of 2020, Renner had an accident at his home when he was run over by a snow plow he was using to help his nephew get a vehicle out of the snow. Renner was crushed under the 14,000+ pound plow, resulting in blunt chest trauma and over 30 broken bones, requiring multiple surgeries. As a dedicated actor known for his physically demanding roles, this was undoubtedly a significant setback. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: A Lifesaver To aid in his recovery, Jeremy Renner turned to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, a medical treatment that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. While this therapy has been used for various medical conditions, it is now gaining popularity among athletes and celebrities for its potential benefits in recovery from injuries […]

Jeremy Renner’s Snowplow Accident And The Healing Power of Hyperbaric ...

A big part of Hyperbaric Vermont’s mission is to raise awareness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Vermont, and increase access across the state. Part of how we do this is through our Affiliate program. Hyperbaric Vermont’s affiliates are independent providers located around the region who have completed our certification program, agree to provide care consistent with Hyperbaric Vermont’s recommended procedures, and utilize our fee schedule. They are: Because of the broad geographic distribution, we’re able to ensure that HBOT treatments are easier to get to – especially for people challenged by chronic, debilitating conditions. Now included in that roster is Hope and Healing Hyperbarics, LLC in Rutland, headed up by Kristen Nugent. Kristen has a bachelor’s in both psychology and elementary education and was formerly a teacher/classroom counselor, and EEE supervisor.  Roughly a decade ago, Kristen morphed her experience into a dog training career, creating her business — Canine Culture. She wanted an environment with an emphasis on creating better humans through their dogs. With a strong interest in behavior and our brains, Kristen is currently looking to further her education with an appropriate Master’s program geared toward mental health and preventative wellness. Around the time she began working with […]

New Affiliate: Hope & Healing Hyperbarics

At Hyperbaric Vermont, we aim to spread awareness about the helpful healing benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). This growing medical treatment involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized hyperbaric chamber in one of our offices or affiliates across the Green Mountain State. Once used to treat conditions such as decompression sickness or “the bends” in deep-sea divers, the FDA approved HBOT for a variety of health issues. Beyond that, patients have seen life-changing improvements with Lyme Disease, Long COVID, and more.  Here are ten reasons why you might consider trying Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: 1. Enhanced Healing HBOT increases the oxygen levels in your body, promoting faster wound healing and tissue repair. It’s used to aid recovery from surgeries, injuries, and even chronic non-healing wounds. 2. Improved Brain Function Oxygen is essential for brain health. HBOT has shown promise in improving cognitive function and memory in conditions like traumatic brain injuries and cognitive decline. HBOT is also great for brain fog, so it can be helpful for those dealing with MS, Lyme, long-COVID, and  chemotherapy. 3. Reduced Inflammation Inflammation is at the root of many health issues. HBOT can help reduce inflammation by increasing the oxygen supply to inflamed tissues, thereby supporting […]

10 Reasons to Try Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

You may have heard about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Vermont and wonder what it is and how it will improve your health. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized environment, typically in a chamber. This therapeutic approach has gained popularity due to its potential to enhance various aspects of health and wellbeing.  Here are five ways hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve your overall health: 1. Enhanced Oxygen Supply to Tissues One of the fundamental benefits of HBOT in Vermont is its ability to deliver a higher concentration of oxygen to the body’s tissues and cells. Under increased atmospheric pressure, the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity significantly increases, promoting oxygen saturation in areas with limited circulation. This oxygen-rich environment supports cellular metabolism, aiding in tissue repair and recovery. 2. Accelerated Wound Healing Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has proven to be exceptionally effective in accelerating wound healing, especially in cases of non-healing wounds, diabetic ulcers, and radiation injuries. It’s also effective for internal sounds, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. 3. Reduced Inflammation Chronic inflammation is associated with numerous health issues, including autoimmune diseases, long COVID, Lyme disease and chronic pain syndromes. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy […]

5 Ways Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Improve Your Health

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Vermont might sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but it’s a real medical treatment gaining popularity for its potential healing benefits. This non-invasive procedure involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized hyperbaric oxygen chamber, offering a range of health advantages. If you’re new to the concept of HBOT, here’s a beginner’s guide to help you understand its benefits, applications, and safety. How Does HBOT Work? In a typical HBOT session, you enter a chamber that’s pressurized to higher-than-normal atmospheric pressure while breathing 95% pure oxygen. At Hyperbaric Vermont, our chambers pressurize to 1.3 atmospheres, which is mild, effective, and easily tolerated by the body. The increased pressure enables your body to absorb more oxygen, which promotes healing and reduces inflammation. This oxygen-rich environment encourages the body’s natural healing processes. What Are Some Benefits of HBOT? At Hyperbaric Vermont and our affiliates, we aim to spread awareness about the many benefits HBOT can offer patients including: What Conditions Can HBOT Help Treat? HBOT has been studied and approved by medical professionals for various conditions, including non-healing wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, radiation injuries, and certain types of infections. It’s also being explored as an adjunctive […]

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: A Beginner’s Guide

Photos by Alexander Mils and Emil Kalibradov on Unsplash While Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a highly effective, well-researched modality for treating a broad range of injuries and illnesses, and despite the fact that it’s widely used around the world, the politics of health care in the US have resulted in HBOT only being FDA-approved for 14 conditions. This means insurance only covers treatment for those specific conditions, forcing most people seeking treatment to pay out of pocket. The average cost of HBOT treatment in Vermont is over $400/session, and many conditions require 20-40 sessions. For the majority of people, that price would make regaining their health financially inaccessible. Hyperbaric Vermont was founded as a non-profit specifically to address that problem.  By charging patients around $65-70/session, fundraising to make up the difference, and frequently gifting treatments to those patients in need, we are able to see far more people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this care. We also offer pre-paid, discounted packages of 10, 20, 30, and 40 sessions, putting the average cost of treatment even lower than if patients paid one session at a time. Our fee schedule is as follows: CONSULT AND FIRST 60-MIN CHAMBER TREATMENT TIME OF […]

Paying For Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Photos by Diana Polekhina and Markus Spiske on Unsplash Flux Magazine just came out with an article on modern medical solutions for wound treatment, and we were pleased to see Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy listed among the various modalities. We also saw a recent article from Film Daily about using HBOT for burn wounds. HBOT is great for wound healing, in part because, as HBOT expert Dr. Paul Harch, author of The Oxygen Revolution, says, “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy exerts its wound-healing effects by expression and suppression of thousands of genes. The dominant gene actions are up-regulation of trophic and anti-inflammatory genes and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory and apoptotic genes.”  In non-scientific language, that basically means that HBOT influence the genes which help with healing. Plus, oxygen itself is profoundly healing, and when you flood the body with oxygen, it accelerates healing. This is why we have patients come to see us both before and after getting surgery. Additionally, when it comes to the challenge of non-healing wounds, like diabetic wounds, HBOT addresses non-healing wounds in all tissue types, which is unique. There are no medications which can do that. Of course, the irony in calling HBOT a “modern” medical treatment is that it […]

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Wound Treatment

A new study may explain how long-COVID results in long-term dysfunction, brain fog, fatigue and cognitive impairment.  Published August 9th in Science Translational Medicine, the research describes how SARS-CoV-2 disrupts mitochondria, increasing glycolysis (how glucose gets broken down in the cells) and reducing ATP production (how food gets turned into energy), leading to impaired function of the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and brain, among other organs.  Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells – as well as those of animals and fungi. They’re equipped with their own DNA, and are tasked with making ATP, the fuel our bodies run on. They generate the energy which drives cellular functioning, as well as most of our biological processes. While all cells, except for red blood cells, have mitochondria, they’re found in the highest concentrations in muscle and nerve cells, which require more energy to function properly. Additionally, mitochondria store calcium ions, which are needed for blood clotting and muscle contraction. They also produce the iron used by red blood cells when they transport oxygen, and they may have the capacity to trigger the death of cells. This sheds some light on why HBOT is one of the most promising COVID and […]

Mitochondria, Long-COVID, and HBOT

As people seek solutions to their challenging medical conditions, the terms “oxygen chambers,” “oxygen therapy,” and “hyperbaric oxygen therapy” often come up. These terms are closely related but represent distinct concepts that can have a significant impact on health and well-being. Here at Hyperbaric Vermont, we feel it’s important to clarify the difference between these terms.  Oxygen Chambers Oxygen chambers, also known as hyperbaric chambers or oxygen therapy chambers, are specialized enclosures designed to administer hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). These chambers create a controlled environment where patients can breathe oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure. This elevated pressure allows more oxygen to dissolve in the bloodstream, leading to various health benefits. At Hyperbaric Vermont, our chambers are soft-sided, rather than metal, and are pre-set to pressurize to 1.3 atmospheres. This is known as Mild HBOT. For most conditions, studies have shown that Mild HBOT is an equally – if not more – effective treatment, and it’s much less aggressive on the nervous system.  Oxygen Therapy Oxygen therapy, a broader term, involves the administration of supplemental oxygen to patients who require higher oxygen levels than what’s available in the ambient air. Oxygen therapy is used to treat a range of medical conditions, […]

Understanding the Differences: Oxygen Chambers, Oxygen Therapy, and Hyperbaric Oxygen ...

Photo by Erik Karits on Unsplash According to the CDC, over 476,000 new Lyme disease cases are diagnosed and treated each year, and worldwide, at least 1 in 7 people have been or are currently infected. Part of the challenge of treating chronic Lyme is that there is no reliable biomarker on which to base testing. So, testing is often not effective and many people go undiagnosed for years. Also, ticks have the capacity to carry and transmit a wide range of microorganisms all at the same time, making it difficult to distinguish between Lyme and a host of other potential co-infections, including babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a powerful tool for treating all of these infections – as well as similarly debilitating conditions like mold toxicity. HBOT also increases the effectiveness of most medications used to treat these diseases. HBOT’s power comes in part from the fact that oxygen is a natural antimicrobial, so it can combat all the microorganisms which cause Lyme and its co-infections. It’s particularly potent against the anaerobes, which normally hide out in areas of the body which are lower in oxygen due […]

Managing Chronic Lyme Disease With HBOT

Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash By Miranda Orso, Communications Associate Picturesque Vermont, with its natural beauty and tranquility, can also serve as a beautiful backdrop for stress — whatever circumstances are to blame. Mother Nature reminded us all of this recently with excessive rain, flooding, mudslides, closings, and the potential health risks that follow. Fortunately, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can help restore some of your wellbeing by alleviating the effects of stress-related conditions.  Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy After I joined Hyperbaric Vermont, I was introduced to how this innovative therapy works at our South Burlington office, where patients from all walks of life get treatment inside one of our hyperbaric chambers. While I first thought the chambers looked like something belonging to a space station, I learned that these machines expose our (quite earthbound) bodies to increased atmospheric pressure while we inhale 95% oxygen. This is much safer than the 100% oxygen one gets in higher pressure chambers, which can cause oxygen toxicity or combust. Great, right? But you’re probably thinking, “What exactly does this have to do with my through-the-roof stress levels?” Well, while you’re relaxing in the chamber, the oxygen is permeating all the fluids and tissues […]

Managing Stress With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Our founder, Dr. Grace Johnstone, just had an email Q&A with a fellow named Adam, who had a number of questions about HBOT that were both pertinent and charming. These questions are incredibly common for people considering HBOT treatment, and speak to the kind of details that our well-informed patients are thinking about. We hope you both enjoy and benefit from this exchange between Dr. Grace and Adam: Adam: Is there any danger of decompressing too quickly from the homeowner style devices? I can’t seem to find any info on that but it would stand to reason that 1.3 -1.5 ATA is not enough pressure to make decompression sickness a concern, regardless of whether one takes 10 minutes to decompress or 1 minute. Is this true? Dr. Grace: These chambers have been “burst tested” as part of the FDA testing process and no harm to participants was incurred. They are below the threshold to result in decompression sickness. Decompression speed can be controlled by the user, and is normally performed to tolerance – so for some this means gradual decompression over a few minutes, whereas others can open the valve fully and be out in less than a minute. Adam: There is a facility […]

Q&A With Dr. Grace And Adam

We’ve been wondering about HBOT and whether it can help symptoms of peri/menopause. While we haven’t found any direct studies, we have found some good links. This study concluded that HBOT reduces oxidative stress: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37108205/ Then we looked up menopause and oxidative stress. It turns out that estrogen is a potent antioxidant, and estrogen deficiency during peri/menopause can lead to oxidative stress. And what are the symptoms of oxidative stress? Issues such as: – Wrinkles and grey hair – Decreased eye sight – Fatigue – Memory loss and/or brain fog – Muscle and/or joint pain – Headaches and sensitivity to noise – Susceptibility to infections Hello menopause! We know, from treating other conditions, that HBOT can address many of these symptoms. If it can also fix wrinkles and grey hair, we should have people knocking down our doors…

HBOT and Menopause