CONDITIONS BEING TREATED WITH HYPERBARIC
OXYGEN THERAPY
Following is a list of conditions currently being treated with HBOT
worldwide. Most are considered experimental and controversial by the
mainstream medical community, with only testimonials and anecdotal evidence
for benefit. Medical insurance in the United States and elsewhere will often
refuse payment.
(*
Conditions marked with an asterisk below are sometimes reimbursed for a
short time by Medicare and other medical insurance in the U.S., but only if
strictly defined diagnostic criteria are met.)
Emergency Indications
Air or Gas embolism* (in divers, but can also occur during bypass
surgery)
Bends in divers (Decompression sickness)*
Burns* (thermal burns)
Carbon monoxide poisoning* (Insurance usually stops paying before all
brain injury has fully improved)
Cyanide Poisoning*
Cerebral edema
Closed head injuries (traumatic brain injury)
Crisis of sickle cell anemia
Exceptional Blood Loss Anemia*
Blast injury
Gas gangrene*
Hydrogen sulfide poisoning
Near-drowning
Near-electrocution
Near-hanging
Peyote poisoning
Severed limbs
Smoke inhalation
Ileus
Stroke (cerebral infarct, with benefit even long after the event)
Specific
Neurologic Indications
Autism
Air embolism*
a. Decompression induced (divers)
b. Iatrogenic (bypass surgery, injected, etc.)
Cerebral edema
a. Toxic encephalopathy
b. Vascular compromise
c. Traumatic
Cerebral Palsy
(CP)
Spinal cord contusion
a. Physiological transection
b. Partial motor or sensory loss
Early organic brain syndrome
a. Small vessel disease
b. Multiple small infarcts
Fetal alcohol
syndrome
Stroke (acute and chronic residuals)
Vegetative coma (acute and prolonged)
a. Closed head injury
b. Hypoxic encephalopathy (suffocation, drowning, strangulation,
cardiac arrest, near hanging, near choking, lightening strikes,
etc.)
Multiple sclerosis
a. Acute
b. Relapsing/ remitting
c. Chronic progressive
Brain Ddysfunction
following Bypass Surgery and Angioplasty
Cranial nerve syndromes
a. Trigeminal neuralgia
b. Optic neuritis
c. Vestibular disorders (vertigo, tinnitus, Meniere's syndrome)
d. Sudden deafness
e. Brain stem syndromes
(ischemia, infarct)
f. Retinal artery occlusion
g Acoustic trauma
Peripheral neuropathy
a. Charcot Marie's tooth disease
b. Radiation myelitis
Traumatic Brain
Injury
Near Drowning
Sympathetic
Reflex Dystrophy
Orthopedic Indications
Crush injuries* (vascular compromise)
Soft tissue swelling
a. Traumatic
b.
Cellulitis* (infection/mixed flora)
compartment syndrome*
Acute necrotizing fasciitis ( so-called "flesh-eating bacteria")*
Necrotizing soft tissue infections*
Clostridial myonecrosis* (gas gangrene)
Severed limbs and digits*
Acute and chronic
osteomyelitis* (bone infection)
Bone grafting
Fracture healing and nonunion*
Aseptic necrosis
Tendon and ligament
injuries, post-surgical repair
Delayed wound healing
Stump infections (following
amputation)
Edema under cast
Sports injuries
Miscellaneous Indications
Peripheral vascular ulcer*
a. Arterial (atherosclerosis)
b. Decubitus (bed sores)
c. Neuropathy related (diabetes)
d. Venous (deep vein thrombosis
complication)
e. Diabetic
Gangrene (wet and dry,
atherosclerosis, more common in diabetes)
Compromised Skin Flaps and
Grafts*
Autism
Abscesses* (intra-abdominal
and intracranial)
Buerger's disease
Biliary atresia
(after surgical correction)
Carbon tetrachloride
poisoning
Fibromyalgia
Frostbite
Diabetic retinopathy
Glaucoma with
visual field loss
Diabetic ulcers*
Gulf War Syndrome
Retinal artery occlusion
Retinal vein thrombosis
Lepromatous leprosy
Lyme disease
Melaney ulcer*
(flesh-eating bacteria)
Meningitis
Migraine
Osteoradionecrosis* (post
radiation damage)
Pancreatitis
Pneumatosis cystoides
intestinalis
Pseudomembranous colitis
Plastic surgery (speed
healing, reduce scar and infection)
Rheumatoid arthritis
(acute)
Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Scleroderma
Sickle cell crisis and
hematuria
Peptic ulcer
Plastic Surgery, speeds
healing with less scar
Myocardial infarction
Slow healing wounds
Potentiate antibiotic
therapy
Post-cardiotomy and low
output heart failure
Radiation cystitis and
enteritis*
Refractory mycoses* (fungal
infections)
Suturing of Severed Limbs*
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Cerebral palsy
Post-polio syndrome
Cirrhosis
Immune System Enhancement
Crohn's disease
Ulcerative colitis
ALS
Parkinson's Syndrome