HBOT Conversations:
Robert Beckman & NBIRR Study
Robert Beckman, Ph.D., Founder of the TreatNow Coalition in Arlington, Virginia, discusses the National Brain Injury Rescue Rehabilitation study focused on the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for brain injuries. Beckman has a passion for data and helping veterans, which is what ultimately got him first involved in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy back in 2008. He was one of many, participating with an elite group of doctors and HBOT experts, who organized and oversaw the results of NBIRR, a multi-center HBOT trial for mild traumatic brain injury with post-concussive symptoms.
The TreatNow Coalition’s Mission is to Stop service member suicides by identifying and treating veterans and others suffering from brain wounds, TBI, PTSD, and Concussion.
Watch the Podcast
HBOT News podcast host, Edward di Girolamo, talks with guest, Robert Beckman, founder of Treatnow.org, who was instrumental in the compilation and release of The National Brain Injury Rescue and Rehabilitation Study – a multicenter observational study of hyperbaric oxygen for mild traumatic brain injury with post-concussive symptoms.
It took over a decade for that study to be completed and published. Once it was, it not only opened a door for veterans and others who were looking for a way to heal from head trauma, the NBIRR study ignited other studies to start, focusing solely on the safety & efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for brain injuries.
Beckman discusses some of the challenges he has witnessed over the years, including the Army declaring that HBOT does not work. After combing through the data, Beckman states that their analysis is rooted in a “lie” about the sham they used in their study; everyone got better. This starts an in-depth conversation between di Girolamo and Beckman about the frustration of the government so easily dismissing HBOT, inflammation linked to PTSD, the stigma of PTSD being a personal and not a physical problem, the disappointment that most veterans don’t even know HBOT exists, and why more is not being done to heal our veterans from these invisible injuries of war.
Beckman proudly states that what started as nine clinics to treat veterans under the NBIRR study, has grown to about 135 clinics across the country that specialize in treating veterans with HBOT for free or reduced rates. Additionally, there are now a combined 12,500-plus success stories from these 135 clinics of individuals with TBI, PTSD, and mTBI who have completed 40 treatments/dives.
Beckman gives surgical statistics relating to HBOT and explains that by pre-oxygenating and post-oxygenating via hyperbaric chambers, patients can benefit from a 30-40% faster healing rate. He points out that countless professional athletes are now using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for faster recuperation to treat pain, injuries, and inflammation; and hyperbarics is being used all over the world right now for successfully treating COVID long-haulers. He states that COVID long-haulers are hypoxic suffering patients, and data exists that military personnel who have experienced the blow of an IUD are suffering in much of the same manner – it’s that lack of oxygen to the brain and all parts of the suffering body that HBOT helps.
di Girolamo asks the question so many of us are curious about, “If HBOT obviously works, why isn’t the military admitting to this? Why aren’t we using it more?” Beckman suggests we read this particular blog on his website that sheds much light on the subject, The Obvious Question: If HBOT works, why aren’t we using it?
Beckman reminds di Girolamo – and all of us – that this is a marathon. Yes, they’ve made great strides over the past two decades in education and research for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, but they still have a way to go. He continues to be optimistic that one day we’ll all witness our shared goal of eliminating the suicide epidemic by utilizing HBOT to thoroughly heal brain injuries.
Guest
Robert L. Beckman, Ph.D.
Dr. Beckman has been building knowledge management systems most of his professional career, primarily in the Intelligence Community and DOD. He is currently helping to run the Clinical Trial researching TBI and PTSD in brain-injured wounded warriors. He is responsible for sustaining the national network of hyperbaric clinics as well as improving the technology platform for data collection and analysis. He is a former USAF KC-135 pilot and a Vietnam Veteran.
TreatNow.org
(571) 549-4258
beckmanr88@gmail.com
Contact TreatNow.org
https://treatnow.org/
Subscribe Now, It’s Free !
Recent HBOT News
Clinical Trial – Hyperbaric Oxygenation in Athletes: Standard Versus Low Pressure
Currently, Hyperbaric Oxigen (HBO) is a widely used treatment for several conditions. There
are 14 indications for HBO, officially recognized by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical
Society (UHMS), but research is discovering other interesting applications.
HBO plays an important role in enhancing antioxidant defense mechanisms by increasing radical
oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide species (NOS). This controlled oxidative stress has
been shown to stop the vicious circle of inflammation – damage – hypoxia already seen in
several diseases. Increased neoangiogenesis has been demonstrated at pressures of 2
atmospheres absolute (ATA), while effects helping ischemic tissues need pressures between 2.5
and 2.8 ATA to develop.
During sports activities, metabolism generates waste products – mostly CO2, lactic acid, but
also ROS. HBO could be useful in modulating antioxidant mechanisms and helping cells in the
recovery after training and sportive competitions.
The authors hypothesize that:
1. HBO can reduce oxidative stress in healthy professional athletes
2. HBO can ameliorate the lactic acid clearance after a maximal exercise
3. HBO at low pressures (L-HBO at 1.45 ATA) is at least comparable to conventional HBO (at
2.5 ATA) in reducing oxidative stress and ameliorating lactic acid clearance after a
maximal exercise.
The Authors will include healthy athletes. These will be randomly assigned to a control
group, a L-HBO group, or a HBO group. The Authors will assess oxidative stress changes and
lactic acid clearance (testing it after a maximal exercise) before and after 20 L-HBO/HBO
treatments, and after 2 months after the end of treatments.
Clinical Trial – Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Compared to Pharmaceutical in Fibromyalgia With Emotional Trauma
The investigators have previously studied the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as
a treatment for Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in a prospective, active control, crossover
clinical trial. The results demonstrated significant amelioration of all FMS symptoms, with
significant improvement in life quality; furthermore, the investigators were able to
demonstrate significant neuroplasticity on SPECT imaging, with a decrease of the
hyperactivity in posterior regions and elevation of the reduced activity in frontal areas.
In this study, the investigators intend to both repeat and expand the investigator’s previous
findings, treating FMS patients with history of emotional trauma with HBOT, while performing
an extensive of evaluation both before and after treatment.
In the current study, the investigators plan to compare HBOT to current standard of care of
FMS (pharmacological and non – pharmacological).
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy gets Lincoln CPA back in business for tax season
17 years ago Tom Shotkoski was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. But, when his surgical site became infected, Shotsoski was left with a life of debilitating pain that restricted him from even being able to sit. His doctors recommended Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to...