De-mystifying Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy 

BENGALURU:  Actor Anil Kapoor, who has been doing different workouts, has now taken to oxygen therapy. On Twitter, actor Anupam Kher shared a video of Kapoor inside an oxygen therapy chamber placed in a room. Kapoor was seen lying inside the chamber with an oxygen mask on. Reacting to the video, a fan said, “This is o2 therapy....” Another said, “This definitely seems to be that secret for his youth.”

So what is this therapy? Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurised chamber. “HBOT is given in a specialised chamber under pressure called a hyperbaric chamber. The pressure improves oxygenation of lungs. More oxygen in the body organ tissues help with healing and detoxification. The therapy lasts for an hour and should be monitored throughout,” says Dr Gopi Krishna Yedlapati, a sr consultant interventional pulmonologist.

According to Dr Alok Rath, consultant general surgeon, to benefit from the therapy, you will need more than one session. “It depends upon the condition. Some conditions like carbon monoxide poisoning might be treated in three visits. Others, like non-healing wounds may require 40 sessions. In general, there are two types of hyperbaric oxygen chambers: a unit designed for one person where you lie down on a table that slides into a clear plastic chamber.

This is known as a monoplace unit. A multi-person hyperbaric oxygen room looks like a large hospital room. You may sit or lie down during treatment. You may receive oxygen through a mask. During therapy, the air pressure in the room is twice higher than normal. The increased pressure creates a temporary feeling of fullness in your ears. This is similar to what you might feel in an airplane or at a high elevation. You can relieve that feeling by yawning or swallowing,” says Dr Alok.

HBOT increases generation of oxygen free radicals — inhibits bacterial metabolic functions especially in anaerobes. 

Risks

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is generally a safe procedure. Complications are rare. But this treatment does carry some risk. 

Potential risks include 
■ Middle ear injuries, including leaking fluid and eardrum rupture, due to changes in air pressure. 
■ Temporary nearsighte dness, called myopia, caused by temporary eye lens changes. 
■ Lung collapse caused by air pressure changes, called barotrauma.