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 Oxygen Therapy as Adjunctive Therapy to Scaling and Root-planing in the Management of Periodontitis in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes and Periodontitis are both prevalent diseases affecting millions of Americans.
Periodontitis is prevalent among Diabetics. Furthermore, Periodontitis and associated
inflammation can increase insulin resistance in Diabetics and worsens the condition.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has the potential to improve periodontal treatment outcome
in poorly controlled diabetics. The study will compare periodontal treatment (SRP) outcome
between 2 main diabetic type 2 patient groups receiving medical care treatment: either
Conventional Wound Therapies (CWC) with or without adjunctive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at
LLU Health.
24 poorly controlled diabetic mellitus (DM) type 2 subjects (HbA1c =>7%) with Periodontitis
will be assigned into the study arms HBO therapy and Non HBO therapy, based on their medical
needs.
For all subjects demographic data (age, gender, ethnicity, smoking history, alcohol use
history, BMI, current medication list) and oral health habits will be obtained. Blood samples
for HbA1c determinations, clinical periodontal measurements (plaque index, probing
measurements including pocket depth, attachment levels, gingival index and
bleeding-on-probing) and subgingival microbial samples will be obtained at baseline and end
of the study. Subgingival microbial samples will be collected from three randomly selected
sites and analyzed for detection of about 300 of the most prevalent oral bacterial species.
Differences in periodontal clinical outcomes and bacterial profiles will be identified
utilizing ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance).
Reinforcement of the bactericidal effect of ciprofloxacin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm by hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection is the most severe complication in cystic fibrosis patients. It is characterised by antibiotic-tolerant biofilms in the endobronchial mucus with zones of oxygen (O2) depletion mainly due to polymorphonuclear leucocyte activity. Whilst the exact mechanisms affecting antibiotic effectiveness on biofilms remain unclear, accumulating evidence suggests that the efficacy of several bactericidal antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin is enhanced by stimulation of the aerobic respiration of pathogens, and that lack of O2 increases their tolerance. Reoxygenation of O2-depleted biofilms may thus improve susceptibility to ciprofloxacin possibly by restoring aerobic respiration.
The Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Animal Studies: A Meta-Analysis.
Abstract: Inconsistent results have been reported for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) for acute stroke. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the benefit of HBO in animal studies of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). A systematic search...