Concussion injuries can cause serious problems that can take a toll on your comfort, your lifestyle, and your quality of life. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be the solution you’re looking for to feel better. Here’s how it works.
Every year, millions of people suffer from concussions due to sports injuries, falls, auto accidents, and other causes.
It’s easy to dismiss mild concussions as nothing more than a bump on the head. But concussions — even minor ones — can be very serious and, in some cases, life-altering.
At Vayu Advanced Wound Clinic and Hyperbarics in San Antonio, Texas, board-certified physician Dr. Badam offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for patients suffering from concussions.
Here, Dr. Badam explains how HBOT helps the brain recover following a concussion, so you can decide if HBOT is right for you.
Concussion basics
Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury that happens as a result of a direct or indirect injury to your head.
Direct injuries include blows that affect the skull area, while indirect injuries happen when another part of the body is subjected to a severe blow, as in a car accident or fall from a substantial height.
In both direct and indirect injuries, the brain is subjected to rapid acceleration and deceleration, each of which can injure your brain even if your head isn’t subjected to a direct blow. These effects lead to functional disturbances in your brain typically related to:
- Nerve injury
- Chemical disturbances, specifically in electrolytes and neurotransmitters
- Changes in the way your brain uses glucose
Blood flow to your brain can also be affected temporarily.
Concussion symptoms can be subtle, and they may not show up right away. Symptoms to watch out for include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Memory issues
- Confusion
- Problems focusing
- Fatigue
- Vision changes
- Ringing in the ears
- Changes in taste, smell, or sensitivity to light
- Balance issues
- Sleep problems
Together, these symptoms are referred to as postconcussive syndrome, and without treatment, some symptoms can persist for days, weeks, or longer.
HBOT for concussion recovery
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy works by optimizing oxygen delivery in tissues and cells, leading to better healing and improved tissue and organ function. Oxygen plays a key role in healing and normalizing cell function following injury.
During therapy, you relax inside a special chamber while pure oxygen is delivered. The air pressure inside the chamber is higher than normal air pressure, enabling your body to absorb more oxygen.
Research shows HBOT works in multiple ways to help heal concussion injuries. In addition to improving oxygen absorption, HBOT:
- Triggers development of new blood vessels at the injury site
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves cell function
- Supports healthy stem cell growth
- Improves nerve communication in the brain
Moreover, research shows HBOT can be an effective post-concussion therapy for children as well as adults, and it can spur healing benefits years after a concussion injury, as well.
Learn more about HBOT for concussion therapy
HBOT is completely noninvasive, and we customize this therapy for each patient for optimal results.