When tissues in the body become inflamed, it increases pressure on muscles, which stops enough oxygen-rich blood from reaching them, often resulting in tissue damage. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy re-oxygenates ischemic tissues, decreases this pressure, and speeds healing of tissues that were damaged in the first place.
When tissues in the body become inflamed, it increases pressure on muscles, which stops enough oxygen-rich blood from reaching them, often resulting in tissue damage. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy re-oxygenates ischemic tissues, decreases this pressure, and speeds healing of tissues that were damaged in the first place.
Compartment syndrome is an acute traumatic ischemia, meaning that tissues in the body lack sufficient oxygen. With compartment syndrome, blood supply is reduced by swelling and/or bleeding of the fascial envelope. The result is an increase in tissue fluid pressure within the skeletal muscle compartment. Once the pressure gets too high, it exerts pressure on the capillaries, preventing blood oxygen from reaching the tissues.
When tissues become ischemic (lacking oxygen), they become damaged. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reoxygenates the suffocating tissues and decreases this pressure. Therefore, hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered quickly, to reverse the pain of compartment syndrome. Hyperbaric oxygen saves many lives when applied to patients suspected of having compartment syndrome.
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