Infectious Conditions

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been approved for a variety of serious infectious conditions. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) has extensive physiological rationale for the use of HBOT in 4 of its approved indications: 

• Gas Gangrene
  
• Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections (Flesh eating disease)

• Intracranial Abcess (brain infection)
  
• Osteomyelitis (bone infections)
  

Although each bacterial infection needs to be considered individually, there are similarities between these conditions that make HBOT a useful treatment option. By the same logic, there are other bacterial infections that may also benefit from HBOT.

Physiological Effects of HBOT that are useful in Bacterial Infections

• kills or halts reproduction in obligate anaerobic organisms 
• potentiates antibiotics
• angiogenesis revascularizes tissues for better nutrient, oxygen and medication delivery and tissue detoxification

• Improves bacterial killing of immune cells
• halts the production of some bacterial toxins
• May disrupt biofilm colonies
• reduces swelling in tissues and in the brain

Experimental Infections that may benefit from HBOT

• Lyme Disease (Borrelia Infection)
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (unknown cause)
• Shingles / Herpes Zoster
• Periodontitis
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• more soon

Conditions