Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Bell's Palsy
Bell’s Palsy is a form of facial paralysis that has a very quick onset. It is thought to occur if the cranial nerve responsible for controlling facial movement is pinched, blocked, or damaged, possibly by inflammation. Antivirals, corticosteroids, and other anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly prescribed for treatments for Bell’s Palsy. Although the prognosis is good, it can sometimes take several weeks to recover facial movement. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can potentially accelerate recovery by quelling the inflammatory response.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has been proven effective in the treatment of Bell's palsy, and when used in conjunction with other treatments, helps to prevent permanent facial disfigurement.
Patient Medical makes no claims as to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy efficacy for any indication, other than the thirteen indications approved by the FDA. Information within this site is provided for informational and educational purposes only. This information is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your personal physician or any other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a disorder that impairs the brain’s control of body movement. Patients sometimes also have mental impairment, visual problems, communicative disorders, seizures, and problems related to perception and sensation. The degree of disability, both physical and mental, varies from child to child, and although the damage to the brain does not worsen with age, symptoms may become more pronounced over time. Just as with Alzheimer’s and autism treatments, it is thought that hyperbaric oxygen may have the ability to stimulate brain activity and help restore function to tissues near damaged areas. Researchers are still weighing the benefits of these treatments for those with cerebral palsy, though improvement has been seen in many individual cases.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy relieves the oxygen starvation of the brain known as hypoxia. Since full blood circulation to specific areas of the brain is impaired, increasing the rate at which oxygen diffuses into all of the body's fluids, increases the amount of oxygen carried to the hypoxic brain tissues. Oxygen enriched cerebrospinal fluid will help to repair any recoverable brain tissue that is intact but not functioning normal. In many cases, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has shown these idling neurons have started to function more efficiently, producing long-term improvements in both brain and clinical function. With the improvement of micro-circulation and the relief of any brain swelling, a patient can experience a reduction in spasticity and an improvement in cognitive ability, vision, hearing and speech.
With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, 100% oxygen is breathed at a depth, which is appropriate for the condition being treated. In the case of Cerebral Palsy, the patient is treated at a depth of 1.5 ATA and not greater than 1.75 ATA or 16.5 - 24 feet below sea level in either a mono-place chamber. The chamber is pressurized and when the appropriate depth is reached the patients starts to breath the 100% oxygen for 60 minutes. When the treatment is over, the pressure inside the chamber is slowly released, bringing the patient back to the atmospheric pressure of the outside of the chamber.
One needs only to scan the Internet for hundreds of testimonies from parents who have children with cerebral palsy or traumatic brain injuries, seeing positive, life changing results. These "anecdotal" reports are often dismissed by the medical establishment or made fun of, however this treatment makes a great difference to the life quality of the individual concerned.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a therapy whose speed and outcomes cannot be precisely predicted. This situation is shared with most standard therapies for brain injury. The difference being, only hyperbaric oxygen can stimulate tissue to improve its function. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy used as an adjunct therapy with physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy has given families one more tool to help give cerebral palsy victims the chance to achieve their full potential in life.
Informed parents should be the ones to make decisions for their children based on the information obtained through reading and educating themselves as to the benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and a reasonable expectation for clinical improvement. MUMS, a parent to parent network is a good support and information organization at which to get the required information. The Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium for Hyperbaric Oxygenation in Cerebral Palsy and the Brain-Injured Child is also available with scientific papers presented by medical practitioners from more than 14 countries who are studying the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injuries.
Patient Medical makes no claims as to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy efficacy for any indication, other than the thirteen indications approved by the FDA. Information within this site is provided for informational and educational purposes only. This information is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your personal physician or any other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider.
Get Additional Information on Cerebral Palsy Here
Next Steps:
Poor health can significantly affect your life. Improve your life by changing to good health. Call our patient coordinator at 1-212-679-9667 or click on Request an Appointment to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors for evaluation and testing.
We are located at: Patients Medical PC, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 900 (Between 42nd & 43rd Street), Manhattan, NYC, New York, NY 10017.
Appointment Request
* Denotes a required field
|
|
Article Last Updated: 06/26/2009