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Head Injury and Concussion

Head Injury

The brain is extremely sensitive to lack of oxygen, and prolonged hypoxia can cause an array of chronic conditions.  While the core-area of the damaged brain tissue may be irreversibly damaged, the good news is that there is an area surrounding this tissue that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can restore and re-establish normal nerve cells function.

During HBOT, the pressure forces oxygen molecules deep in the areas of poor circulation reviving the “sleeping” nerve cells and reestablishing brain metabolism.

HBOT can reverse brain hypoxia, stop and reverse chronic neurocognitive damage and  increase brain metabolism and brain function including memory, attention span, and executive function. 

The success of neuro-rehabilitation with HBOT is higher in early stages after the brain injury, although good results can be achieved even years after.

New exciting research in reversed cellular aging also shows that HBOT can improve cognitive function in healthy aging adults. 

Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) Therapy in treatment of Neurological disorders:

  • hyperbaric oxygen provides immediate high supply for oxygen debt in the brain therefore stopping the brain damage and preserving healthy neural tissue from secondary damage
  • Hyperbaric oxygen improves oxygenation of all brain tissues therefore reducing the further damage
  • Hyperbaric oxygen reduces swelling or cerebral edema and rise of intracranial pressure as a consequence of brain damage
  • Hyperbaric oxygen improves microcirculation in the brain and brain metabolism
  • Hyperbaric oxygen improves neural and mental function
  • Hyperbaric oxgyen improves motor function and coordination
  • Hyperbaric oxgyen reduces mortality after brain injury
  • Hyperbaric oxygen improves quality of life in people suffering from brain injury
  • preconditioning with hyperbaric oxygen plays an important role in protecting brain and heart from possible damage (post  surgery, high altitude exposure, etc.)

Further readings:
  1. Hadanny A, Abbott S, Suzin G, Bechor Y, Efrati S Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on chronic neurocognitive deficits of posttraumatic brain injury patients: retrospective analysis, BMJ Open 2018;8:e023387. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023387
  2. Amir Hadanny, Malka Daniel-Kotovsky, Gil Suzin, Rahav Boussi-Gross, Merav Catalogna, Kobi Dagan, Yafit Hachmo, Ramzia Abu Hamed, Efrat Sasson, Gregory Fishlev, Erez Lang, Nir Polak, Keren Doenyas, Mony Friedman, Sigal Tal, Yonatan Zemel, Yair Bechor, Shai Efrati Cognitive enhancement of healthy older adults using hyperbaric oxygen: a randomized controlled trial Aging (Albany NY) 12.13 (2020): 13740.
  3. Boussi-Gross R, Golan H, Fishlev G, Bechor Y, Volkov O, et al. (2013) Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Improve Post Concussion Syndrome Years after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury - Randomized Prospective Trial. PLoS ONE 8(11): e79995. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0079995
  4. Kenneth P Stoller (2011) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (1.5 ATA) in treating sports related TBI/CTE: two case reportsMedical Gas Research 2011, 1:17
  5. Shi XY, Tang ZQ, Sun D, He XJ.: Evaluation of hyperbaric oxygen treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders following traumatic brain injury, Chin Med J (Engl). 2006 Dec 5;119(23):1978-82.
  6. Paiva WS, de Andrade AF, Figueiredo EG, Amorim RL, Prudente M, Teixeira MJ: Effects of hyperbaric oxygenation therapy on symptomatic pneumocephalus, Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management 2014:10 769–773
  7. Al-Waili NS, Butler GJ, Beale J, Abdullah MS, Hamilton RW, Lee BY, Lucus P, Allen MW, Petrillo RL, Carrey Z, Finkelstein M.: Hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of patients with cerebral stroke, brain trauma, and neurologic disease. Adv Ther. 2005 Nov-Dec;22(6):659-78. Review.
  8. Golden ZL, Neubauer R, Golden CJ, Greene L, Marsh J, Mleko A.:Improvement in cerebral metabolism in chronic brain injury after hyperbaric oxygen therapy.; Int J Neurosci. 2002 Feb;112(2):119-31.
  9. Neubauer RA, James P.: Cerebral oxygenation and the recoverable brain.; Neurol Res. 1998;20 Suppl 1:S33-6.
  10. Neubauer RA, Gottlieb SF, Pevsner NH.: Hyperbaric oxygen for treatment of closed head injury.; South Med J. 1994 Sep;87(9):933-6.
  11. Rockswold SB, Rockswold GL, Defillo A.: Hyperbaric oxygen in traumatic brain injury.; Neurol Res. 2007 Mar;29(2):162-72. Review.
  12. Hu SL, Hu R, Li F, Liu Z, Xia YZ, Cui GY, Feng H.: Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning protects against traumatic brain injury at high altitude.; Acta Neurochir Suppl. 2008;105:191-6.
  13. Fischer BR, Speckmann EJ, Greiner C, Gorji A, Wölfer J, Wassmann H.:Hyperbaric oxygen in neurosurgery.; Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2009 Apr;151(4):415-8. Epub 2009 Mar 11.
  14. Voigt C, Förschler A, Jaeger M, Meixensberger J, Küppers-Tiedt L, Schuhmann MU.: Protective effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on experimental brain contusions.; Acta Neurochir Suppl. 2008;102:441-5.
  15. Lin JW, Tsai JT, Lee LM, Lin CM, Hung CC, Hung KS, Chen WY, Wei L, Ko CP, Su YK, Chiu WT.: Effect of hyperbaric oxygen on patients with traumatic brain injury.; Acta Neurochir Suppl. 2008;101:145-9.

Concussion recovery 
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"I truly hope others will find the breakthrough that I have found ..."

Concussion recovery - NHL
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 Information contained on this site is intended for general consumer understanding and education. It should not be used as a substitute for any medical professional opinion, advice or prescribed medication nor should it serve as diagnosis or treatment of health problems.