Almost Ready to Dive? How to Prepare for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
It is our duty to inform you of what to expect during your hyperbaric treatments with us. Prior to your first treatment session you will be asked to come in a half hour early to go through an orientation. The purpose of this orientation is to answer any questions you may have and to review how your treatment procedure will go. Please feel free to ask any questions, we are here to help you.
Personal Items:
For your safety we must adhere to strict guidelines on what can and cannot go into the chambers. No cellular phones, wallets or jewelry are allowed. We provide storage of your personal items during the course of your treatment but it is best if you can leave them at home.
Clothing:
Clean, 100% cotton clothing is preferred. If this is not possible a cotton/polyester mix is acceptable. We can supply cotton clothing if necessary. No shoes are allowed in the chamber. Please bring clean cotton socks to wear instead. If you have long hair, please bring a hair elastic.
Cosmetics:
Please do not wear any make-up, lipstick, hairspray, gels, lotions, colognes, perfumes, wigs or hairpieces during your hyperbaric treatments.
Food and Drinks:
It is strongly recommended that you eat one hour prior to your treatment. If you forget or cannot arrange this, let your technician know; he/she can provide you with a snack. To obtain full benefit from your treatments avoid food or beverages containing caffeine, as caffeine constricts blood vessels. Also, alcoholic beverages should be avoided before your treatments because of the diuretic effect. If you are taking vitamin C, do not take more than 1,000mg daily.
Smoking (nicotine):
Nicotine greatly compromises the effectiveness of your treatments. It constricts blood vessels which decreases blood flow to tissue areas, thus slowing down the healing process. Furthermore, smells are enhanced in a hyperbaric environment and the smell of cigarette smoke is offensive to many people. If you must smoke please do so as long before your treatment as possible and as late after your treatment as possible.
Entertainment:
Many patients choose to watch DVDs or listen to music during their treatments. Although we have a wide variety of DVDs you are welcome to bring your own. Books are allowed in the chamber, however, newspapers are not.
Scheduling:
Every attempt will be made to plan your treatments so that they fit your schedule. Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your scheduled treatment time . Also, please allow for a 15 minute observational period after your treatment. Please call (250-954-0335) or email ([email protected]) our facility to schedule an appointment. Users of Google calendar may be able to schedule their own appointments with 24 hours notice once or
Cancellations:
If you need to cancel please let us know as soon as possible. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a $25 administration fee.
Personal Items:
For your safety we must adhere to strict guidelines on what can and cannot go into the chambers. No cellular phones, wallets or jewelry are allowed. We provide storage of your personal items during the course of your treatment but it is best if you can leave them at home.
Clothing:
Clean, 100% cotton clothing is preferred. If this is not possible a cotton/polyester mix is acceptable. We can supply cotton clothing if necessary. No shoes are allowed in the chamber. Please bring clean cotton socks to wear instead. If you have long hair, please bring a hair elastic.
Cosmetics:
Please do not wear any make-up, lipstick, hairspray, gels, lotions, colognes, perfumes, wigs or hairpieces during your hyperbaric treatments.
Food and Drinks:
It is strongly recommended that you eat one hour prior to your treatment. If you forget or cannot arrange this, let your technician know; he/she can provide you with a snack. To obtain full benefit from your treatments avoid food or beverages containing caffeine, as caffeine constricts blood vessels. Also, alcoholic beverages should be avoided before your treatments because of the diuretic effect. If you are taking vitamin C, do not take more than 1,000mg daily.
Smoking (nicotine):
Nicotine greatly compromises the effectiveness of your treatments. It constricts blood vessels which decreases blood flow to tissue areas, thus slowing down the healing process. Furthermore, smells are enhanced in a hyperbaric environment and the smell of cigarette smoke is offensive to many people. If you must smoke please do so as long before your treatment as possible and as late after your treatment as possible.
Entertainment:
Many patients choose to watch DVDs or listen to music during their treatments. Although we have a wide variety of DVDs you are welcome to bring your own. Books are allowed in the chamber, however, newspapers are not.
Scheduling:
Every attempt will be made to plan your treatments so that they fit your schedule. Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your scheduled treatment time . Also, please allow for a 15 minute observational period after your treatment. Please call (250-954-0335) or email ([email protected]) our facility to schedule an appointment. Users of Google calendar may be able to schedule their own appointments with 24 hours notice once or
Cancellations:
If you need to cancel please let us know as soon as possible. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a $25 administration fee.
Potential Side Effects
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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a painless, non invasive treatment. You should feel safe and comfortable at all times during your treatment. If you do not, please notify the technician immediately.
Ears: The most likely side-effect experienced is slight discomfort of the middle ear during pressurization. Your technician will teach you the valsalva maneuver which is a technique that allows you to equalize the pressure in the middle ear. We may also give you water to sip which can ease ear pressure should you have any. If you do have difficulty with pressure on your ears, a nasal decongestant may help. Discuss any problems or concerns you may have with the technician. |
Sinus:
Sinus squeeze is very rare, but is caused by changes in pressure. Pain may be felt around the sinus areas of the face. This usually occurs if the sinuses are blocked by mucus or tissue. Always inform the technician if you feel uncomfortable or have any pain.
Other Side-Effects:
Some mild physiological changes and symptoms may present themselves over the course of your treatments; some may be due to medication interactions. It is important that you advise your technician if any of the following symptoms arise:
-Nausea
-Changes in vision (Temporary changes in eyeglass prescription may occur. These changes may be permanent in only about 2% of those patients.)
-Shortness of breath or dizziness
-Tinnitus (ringing of the ears)
-Out of the ordinary physical or mental changes.
-Herxheimer Reaction- for patients with infections, fatigue or an enhancement of symptoms may occur as a reaction to the large amount of bacteria being destroyed.
Call us as soon as possible if any of the above or the following occurs during your course of treatment: colds, flu, upper respiratory infection, sinusitis, high fever, viral infection, vomiting, headache, or any other out-of-the-ordinary symptoms or concerns. We are here to help you get better. Please let us know if there is anything we can do that would ensure your time with us is comfortable and pleasant. If you have any concerns and /or develop problems with your health, call your physician immediately.
Sinus squeeze is very rare, but is caused by changes in pressure. Pain may be felt around the sinus areas of the face. This usually occurs if the sinuses are blocked by mucus or tissue. Always inform the technician if you feel uncomfortable or have any pain.
Other Side-Effects:
Some mild physiological changes and symptoms may present themselves over the course of your treatments; some may be due to medication interactions. It is important that you advise your technician if any of the following symptoms arise:
-Nausea
-Changes in vision (Temporary changes in eyeglass prescription may occur. These changes may be permanent in only about 2% of those patients.)
-Shortness of breath or dizziness
-Tinnitus (ringing of the ears)
-Out of the ordinary physical or mental changes.
-Herxheimer Reaction- for patients with infections, fatigue or an enhancement of symptoms may occur as a reaction to the large amount of bacteria being destroyed.
Call us as soon as possible if any of the above or the following occurs during your course of treatment: colds, flu, upper respiratory infection, sinusitis, high fever, viral infection, vomiting, headache, or any other out-of-the-ordinary symptoms or concerns. We are here to help you get better. Please let us know if there is anything we can do that would ensure your time with us is comfortable and pleasant. If you have any concerns and /or develop problems with your health, call your physician immediately.
Paperwork
The following two documents must be completed before undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy at Oceanside Hyperbaric. These documents can be filled out at our facility, however, completion beforehand will make things smoother during your first session.
| client_info_form.doc |
| informed_consent.doc |
