Hyperbaric Oxygen Treats Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This increases the amount of oxygen that can reach damaged tissues and promote healing. In the case of CRAO, HBOT provides retinal occlusion treatment by restoring blood flow to the affected area and preventing permanent vision loss.
If you are looking to book a hyperbaric oxygen chamber in San Jose, CA, contact us at Bay Area Hyperbarics.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This increases the amount of oxygen that can reach damaged tissues and promote healing. In the case of CRAO, HBOT provides retinal occlusion treatment by restoring blood flow to the affected area and preventing permanent vision loss.
If you are looking to book a hyperbaric oxygen chamber in San Jose, CA, contact us at Bay Area Hyperbarics.
How Hyperbarics Helps
Delivers Oxygen Directly to the retina and Retinal Artery, Helping to Heal the Occlusion
Improves Blood Flow
Reduces Inflammation that can Cause Restriction Around your Retinal Arteries.
Promotes the Growth of New Blood Vessels
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is your best chance for retinal occlusion treatment!
Central retinal artery occlusion, (CRAO) occurs when the central retinal artery, which supplies blood to the retina, becomes blocked. This causes a sudden loss of vision in one eye that is painless, but unfortunately usually permanent.
A patient with CRAO should go to a hospital emergency room and should be considered for hyperbaric oxygen treatment within 24 hours of the injury. When the retina does not receive adequate oxygen and nutrients, it can lead to irreversible damage and loss of vision.
Even though hyperbaric oxygen therapy provides the best chance of recovery from CRAO, recovery from CRAO is never assured. The treatment protocol for hyperbaric therapy is complex with CRAO, depending on the patient's response.
If you or a loved one has experienced vision loss in one eye, go to the emergency room immediately. Require them to approve hyperbaric oxygen therapy as your best chance for recovery!
By providing oxygen at high concentrations under pressure, HBOT can increase the oxygen supply to the retina, bypassing the blocked artery and promoting tissue survival.
The increased oxygen levels stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, which can help restore blood flow to the affected area and prevent further damage.
In addition to improving oxygen delivery, HBOT also reduces inflammation in the retina. Inflammation is a normal physiological response to tissue injury, but when it becomes excessive, it can lead to tissue damage and impaired healing.
In CRAO, the blockage of the central retinal artery triggers an inflammatory response that can exacerbate the damage to the retina. HBOT has been shown to reduce Inflammation by decreasing the production of inflammatory cytokines and promoting the release of anti-inflammatory mediators. This anti-inflammatory effect can help reduce tissue damage and enhance healing in CRAO.
HBOT can also promote the growth of new blood vessels in the retina, a process known as neovascularization. Neovascularization is a critical component of tissue repair as it supplies oxygen and nutrients to the damaged tissue.
Studies have shown that HBOT can promote the growth of new blood vessels by activating a group of proteins called hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). HIFs are involved in the regulation of blood vessel formation and can promote the growth of new vessels in response to low oxygen levels. By promoting neovascularization, HBOT can help restore blood flow to the affected area and enhance tissue repair in CRAO.
HBOT is a safe and well-tolerated therapy, and its use as retinal occlusion treatment is supported by several clinical studies. A recent meta-analysis of 17 studies on the use of HBOT in CRAO found that HBOT significantly improved visual acuity. It also reduced the risk of developing neovascular glaucoma, a severe complication of CRAO. Another study showed that HBOT improved visual acuity and reduced the size of the ischemic area in the retina in patients with CRAO.
If you or a loved one have experienced CRAO, go to the emergency room and request hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Then, call us. In most cases, we can get you in the same day. Speed to first treatment is critical in helping overcome CRAO.
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Still looking for answers?
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What is Hyperbaric Medicine?
Hyperbaric medicine, also called hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT, is a medical treatment where a patient sits or lies in pressurized chamber and breathes 100% oxygen. In HBOT, oxygen dissolves into the blood, thus raising the oxygen concentration to very high levels.This increased oxygen is a primary building block for tissues, muscle, and bone repair. Among other benefits, it kicks off cell reproduction, heals injuries and infection more rapidly, and decreases inflammation.
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Does HBOT kill cancer cells?
Current research indicates that hyperbaric oxygen does not kill cancer cells. However, there has been a small amount of research indicating that hyperbaric oxygen might reduce the size of certain tumors. Also, there has been a study on mice using hyperbaric oxygen, along with a ketogenic diet, to reduce tumors. Hyperbaric oxygen causes many different healing modalities to kick into gear. Could its effect on strengthening the immune system inhibit the growth of cancer cells? Nobody knows. There are numerous studies conclusively showing that hyperbaric oxygen does not encourage cancer cells or tumors to grow. Some patients claim the hyperbaric oxygen makes them feel a lot more comfortable and functional after chemotherapy and also during healing. Note that some chemotherapy drugs are not to be used with hyperbaric oxygen, as the chemotherapy drugs can be enhanced and thus become toxic. A good hyperbaric oxygen facility (such as Bay Area Hyperbarics) will always call the chemotherapy manufacturer to ensure that hyperbaric oxygen therapy will be helpful and not damaging to the patient.
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What is the CPT code for HBOT?
The CPT code for HBOT is G0277.
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Does Medicare cover HBOT?
Medicare covers Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for approved conditions, and many insurance companies also cover approved conditions. If your condition is not approved by your insurance, we can discuss our special rates. Give us a call at (408) 356–7438. We are happy to discuss your options with you.
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Can HBOT help Neuropathy?
Hyperbaric treatments help heal neuropathy by regrowing small blood vessels and nerves that have died from disease, injuries from radiation and aging. Patients often experience numbness and or pain when they start treatment. Hyperbaric treatments most often bring back sensation and make, for example, walking easier and more enjoyable.
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Why would a physician consider HBOT?
A physician would consider using hyperbaric chamber therapy under a variety of situations. Physicians most typically refer patients to hyperbarics when the patient is not healing with traditional medical interventions and hyperbaric chamber therapy is approved by Medicare for this condition. Some patients experience significant unresolved pain and unremitting disease states that the mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a hyperbaric chamber are known to affect, such as the down regulation of inflamatory genes. For an example, some patients have experienced severe, unremitting hives with itching, which did not improve with any specialists interventions. Some physicians will consider hyperbaric chamber therapy if the patient has no other good avenues for improving their failing health, and they know the hyperbaric chamber therapy is safe and will not harm the patient.
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What is Hypebaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HB0T) is a medical treatment where you inhale 100% oxygen in a chamber with increased atmospheric pressure. HBOT injects 400x the oxygen into your tissues and bones and mobilizes stem cells. It regrows healthy tissues in the brain, blood vessels, skin and bones. It also reduces pain and swelling, and speeds recovery. It is simple, effective and painless.