A recent systematic review published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology discovered that hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be a very effective and safe therapy option for mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI).
The review was conducted by Dr. Paul G. Harch, a clinical professor of medicine at Louisiana State University’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program in New Orleans. Harch is also an expert on hyperbaric oxygen therapy, according to his website. The review examined the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat persistent post-concussion syndrome. This syndrome occurs when patients who have had concussions experience symptoms for at least three months. The review included six randomized trials, one case-controlled study, one case series, and three case reports. All of the studies were small, involving fewer than 75 patients per study. In analyzing the eleven studies, Harch found that using hyperbaric oxygen at 1 1/2 times the pressure of oxygen at sea level (which scientists refer to as “1.5 ATA oxygen”) significantly improved the symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury.
The review also concluded that treatments at other levels of oxygen levels produced inconsistent results.
Despite the relatively small sample sizes, the studies included in the review had low levels of bias, leading Harch to conclude that there was strong evidence for the recommendation of using hyperbaric oxygen to treat persistent post-concussion mild traumatic brain injuries. This study adds to a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, may be helpful in treating a variety of ills.
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