PATIENT INFORMATION
An initial risk assessment will be your first appointment. This is to ascertain if Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is right for you and if you are physically able for it. If you have some acute issues you are dealing with you may be asked to first see a Hyperbaric Physician.
Please download and review our patient information form before your initial treatment
FAQS
Our Hyperbaric chambers are operated by certified Hyperbaric Technicians in compliance with ATMO and IHA (International Hyperbaric Association). They will be monitoring you at all times.
Breathing oxygen at pressure should make you feel more alert and aware. It is normal to sometimes feel a bit light headed in the beginning stages as your body adjusts to absorbing that much oxygen.
Prior to going in the chambers you will have a consultation with our Hyperbaric Clinician who will discuss the safety aspect with you and answer any questions you may have about this subject. All precautions are taken to make sure that that Safety Standards are adhered to and we have on onsite Safety Director.
For the Hyox Chamber you need to be wearing all cotton items. So please wear cotton underwear. Cotton t-shirt and pyjama trousers. These can be aquired from Optimum Wellbeing if you do not have any.
- Please remove all jewellery and your bra.
- Bring cotton socks.
- Remove any make up including lipstick, eyeliner, nail polish or perfume.
- Do not have any Lotion, oils, hairspray, hair mousse or gel.
- Do not wear any nylon.
The amount of treatments varies from patient to patient as everybody responds differently and it also depends on what you are using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for. During the initial session either our GP or osteopath will prescribe how many treatments would be most beneficial to supporting your condition and working with any other therapies and protocols you are following.
Initially it will be between 10 - 40 sessions 3 - 4 times a week. After which there will be a reassessment to see if more sessions are needed.
Initially it will be between 10 - 40 sessions 3 - 4 times a week. After which there will be a reassessment to see if more sessions are needed.
Compression Phase :
When the pressure in the chamber increases the temperature in the chamber will become hotter. However the oxygen you are breathing feels cold so you should try and relax into deep breathing to cool down and feel calm.
As the pressure increases you will immediately feel fullness and often discomfort in the ears. It is important to begin equalising your ears as you would do if you were in a plane or scuba diving. If you are having trouble equalising your ears we will pause at whatever pressure has been reached to allow you time to equalise. If you still are having difficulties equalising we will have to begin depressurising in order to reduce the discomfort in the ears.
If you are unable to equalise we may recommend that you visit an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor to place small tubes in your ears to help stop the pressure build up in your ears.
Decompression Phase :
As the chamber decompresses the pressure will reduce and so it may become much cooler. When you are out of the chamber you will be given a cup of herbal tea to rehydrate you and warm you up. Please take the time to sit and drink your tea at this time.
As the pressure in the chamber decreases you may feel crackles and some popping in the ears. This shouldn't hurt so just allow it to happen, yawning helps by opening up the eustacian tubes in the ears so the bubbles can escape. If one ear tube is opening up faster than the other you can feel a little dizzy or light headed. This is normal and once you have reached normal sea level pressure it will level out.
When the pressure in the chamber increases the temperature in the chamber will become hotter. However the oxygen you are breathing feels cold so you should try and relax into deep breathing to cool down and feel calm.
As the pressure increases you will immediately feel fullness and often discomfort in the ears. It is important to begin equalising your ears as you would do if you were in a plane or scuba diving. If you are having trouble equalising your ears we will pause at whatever pressure has been reached to allow you time to equalise. If you still are having difficulties equalising we will have to begin depressurising in order to reduce the discomfort in the ears.
If you are unable to equalise we may recommend that you visit an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor to place small tubes in your ears to help stop the pressure build up in your ears.
Decompression Phase :
As the chamber decompresses the pressure will reduce and so it may become much cooler. When you are out of the chamber you will be given a cup of herbal tea to rehydrate you and warm you up. Please take the time to sit and drink your tea at this time.
As the pressure in the chamber decreases you may feel crackles and some popping in the ears. This shouldn't hurt so just allow it to happen, yawning helps by opening up the eustacian tubes in the ears so the bubbles can escape. If one ear tube is opening up faster than the other you can feel a little dizzy or light headed. This is normal and once you have reached normal sea level pressure it will level out.
Patients experiencing daily HBOT sessions have reported that changes have temporarily occured with their eyesight. These are usually minor and make close up reading appear clearer.
CONSIDERATIONS
Smoking is prohibited for the duration of your Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Sessions.
Smoking Decreases oxygen delivery to your tissues. When you smoke the nicotine from your cigarette causes the small arteries in the body to close or narrow. Thus the blood cannot get to the tissues that it needs to heal. If the blood cannot get there then the oxygen also cannot reach the tissues it needs to. Even after one cigarette these small blood vessels can stay closed for several hoursHyperbaric O2 Therapy is used to create new blood vessels forming in areas that have poor circulation therefore it is important to keep blood vessels open.
In which case we will not be able to administer Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to you if you are smoking.
Smoking Decreases oxygen delivery to your tissues. When you smoke the nicotine from your cigarette causes the small arteries in the body to close or narrow. Thus the blood cannot get to the tissues that it needs to heal. If the blood cannot get there then the oxygen also cannot reach the tissues it needs to. Even after one cigarette these small blood vessels can stay closed for several hoursHyperbaric O2 Therapy is used to create new blood vessels forming in areas that have poor circulation therefore it is important to keep blood vessels open.
In which case we will not be able to administer Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to you if you are smoking.
There are some medications which you cannot take during HBOT. Please tell the Health Consultant All the medications you are taking.
"As a general rule most drugs do not have any particular combined or synergistic effect with the compressed air or the increased oxygen partial pressure. Important exceptions exist. It is probably safe to assume that unless there are specific contraindications or precaustions regarding use of a particular substance or compound under pressure it is safe to go ahead and administer it."
Intramuscular injections should Not be administered immediately before or after each HBOT session as the intense constriction under pressure results in practically no drug absorption. When the pressure is decreased at the end of the session vasodilation occurs and this would cause very sudden absorption. For this reason injections are best to be administered 2 hours prior to HBOT or 2 hours afterward.
"As a general rule most drugs do not have any particular combined or synergistic effect with the compressed air or the increased oxygen partial pressure. Important exceptions exist. It is probably safe to assume that unless there are specific contraindications or precaustions regarding use of a particular substance or compound under pressure it is safe to go ahead and administer it."
Intramuscular injections should Not be administered immediately before or after each HBOT session as the intense constriction under pressure results in practically no drug absorption. When the pressure is decreased at the end of the session vasodilation occurs and this would cause very sudden absorption. For this reason injections are best to be administered 2 hours prior to HBOT or 2 hours afterward.
If you have cold or flu then you may have blocked eustacian tubes which will prevent your ears from being able to equalise or the pressure in your sinuses may bring on an intense sinus headache. Please tell us if you are feeling this way as it may better to reschedule your appointments to a time when you are feeling better.
Our HYOX Hyperbaric Chamber is for one person only so if you are wanting to bring a carer with you they would have to remain in the waiting room for safety reasons. If there is an issue with this please call and tell us what it may be so that we can assist in any way we can.
If you are diabetic you must let us know and tell us if you are insulin dependent or non-insulin dependent.
Hyperbaric Oxygen can decrease your blood glucose levels during the sessions so please let us know if you are Diabetic so we know how best to accommodate you.
Hyperbaric Oxygen can decrease your blood glucose levels during the sessions so please let us know if you are Diabetic so we know how best to accommodate you.
