Oxygen Therapy is increasing the concentration of just the same oxygen we breathe normally in the air. We all live under the pressure of the atmosphere and the extra pressure required for this treatment is small. Our Barochamber is used to allow the pressure around the body to be increased. The technology is well established, as with all commercial aircraft, oxygen chambers are equipped with oxygen breathing systems.
Doctors have only recently recognised that even when the level of oxygen in the blood is normal there can be a severe deficiency in the tissues. The treatment involves breathing pure oxygen in a chamber at 1.5 to 2.5 times normal atmospheric pressure for an hour per session. The aim of the treatment is to increase oxygen intake by at least 7 times. The pressure is varied according to the response rate of the patient, but up to a maximum of 2 atmospheres absolute (equivalent to 33 feet of seawater).
Oxygen Therapy helps because the air that we breathe usually provides enough oxygen for both normal body metabolism and the repair of tissue damage after injury or illness. However, tissue damage or disease also involves the blood vessels within the tissue and this may reduce blood flow. By increasing the concentration of oxygen in the blood more can be delivered to damaged tissue to establish normal oxygen values and so allow rapid recovery to take place.
Oxygen is essential to every one of the tissues in the body and any tissue injury requires oxygen for healing. Recent research at the University of Dundee has show that, in the inflammation that is typical of Multiple Sclerosis, the transport of oxygen is severely limited by tissue swelling
Oxygen Therapy, where the normal amount of oxygen in the air is many times exceeded, is now being widely used in medical practice, notably in the USA, mainland Europe, Japan, Russia and China. Use in Multiple Sclerosis has been controversial, largely because function and expectations have been widely misunderstood although studies have shown that it is beneficial. The process by which damage to the nervous system is caused in Multiple Sclerosis clearly cannot be prevented by oxygen therapy. However, as the body normally heals itself using oxygen from the air, additional oxygen can extend the body’s ability to heal and can limit some of the damage which the disease causes.
Breathing oxygen under pressure causes the dilated and leaky blood vessels in Multiple Sclerosis to constrict back to normal size and reduces the swelling. At the same time, more oxygen is delivered to the bloodstream so increasing the amount available to help undertake repair. The aim of oxygen treatment in Multiple Sclerosis is to minimise the amount of damage being caused, promote rapid healing and limit the scar formation which can prevent nerve function being restored. High Dosage Oxygen Therapy is available at the Therapy Centre. It is conducted within strict regulations and all operators are comprehensively trained in its use.
The initial course consists of 20 sessions which are carried out on the three consecutive days we are open until complete. These are then followed by ‘top up’ sessions which may vary from once a week to once a month. The most significant benefits are in improved balance, sensory perception and control of incontinence. Other symptoms also show beneficial change in different people. Oxygen Therapy is not a cure for Multiple Sclerosis – but it does seem effective in helping people with Multiple Sclerosis to slow down the disease progress. In addition, it often succeeds that patients feel there is an improvement in their general condition.
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