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
Combining infliximab, anti-MAP and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for resistant fistulizing Crohn’s disease.
Fistulizing Crohn’s disease (CD) presents a therapeutic challenge as fistulae are notoriously difficult to heal. Mycobacterium avium ss paratuberculosis (MAP) treatment in CD is gaining attention. We evaluated healing of CD fistula(e) using a novel combination therapy. Nine consecutive patients who failed to heal fistulae on conventional treatment including anti-TNF, were treated with at least three doses of infliximab, 18-30 courses of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and anti-MAP antibiotics comprising rifabutin, clarithromycin and clofazimine. All patients achieved complete healing of fistulae by 6-28 weeks and follow-up for mean 18 months.
Clinical Trial – Dexmedetomidine Versus Magnesium Sulphate for Caesarean Delivery
Regional anesthesia has become more popular in cesarean deliveries because most of the
parturients prefer being awake during the birth process. In addition, regional anesthesia may
be a safer method than general. In spinal anesthesia local anesthetics alone may not be
enough for an effective postoperative analgesia and hemodynamic stability of the patient wich
is crucial during cesarean section. So far many adjuvants have been used to augment the
analgesia produced by intrathecal local anesthetics and to reduce their adverse effects .
Various intrathecal adjuvants to local anaesthetics have found to improve the quality and
extend duration of spinal block. Prolongation of duration of spinal block is desirable both
for long procedures and for postoperative pain relief. Efficacy and safty of intrathecal
magnesium as analgesic adjuvant has been tested by several clinical trails in recent
years.Antinociceptive effect of magnesium appears to be relevant for the management of
chronic and post operative pain. These effects are primarily based on regulation of calcium
influx in to the cell. Magnesium blocks calcium influx and non competitively antagonizes NMDA
channels. NMDA receptor signelling plays an impartent in determining the duration of acute
pain3).) addition of magnesium to spinal anaesthesia improved postoperative analgesia in
orthopedic setting. addition of intrathecal magnesium sulfate to 10 mg bupivacaine plus 25µg
fentanyl prolonged spinal anaesthesia in patients undergoing lower extremity surgery.
Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective 2-adrenergic agonist which has been used as
pre-medication and as an adjuvant to general anesthesia.Dexmedetomidine have several
beneficial actions during perioperative period. They decrease sympathetic tone with
attenuation of the neuroendocrine and haemodynamic response to anaesthesia and surgery,
reduce anaesthetic and opiod requirement, cause sedation and analgesia. Dexmedetomidine was
first introduced into clinical practice as a short term intravenous sedative in intensive
care. Like any other adjuvant dexmedetomidine is not free from adverse effects. Use of
dexmedetomidine is often associated with a decrease in heart rate and blood
pressure.Dexmedetomidine was used to enhance the analgesic property of local anaesthetics
like lidocaine bupivacaine and ropivacaine. In vivo and in vitro studies indicated that these
local anaesthetics had significant neurotoxicity. Dexmedetomidine showed protective or growth
promoting properties in tissues, including nerve cells from cortex. Intrathecal
dexmedetomidine has a neuroprotective effect similar to methylprednisolone.
The mechanism by which intrathecal alpha 2-adrenergic agonists prolong the motor and sensory
block of local anesthetics is not clear. It may be an additive or synergistic effect
secondary to the different mechanisms of action of local anesthetic and alpha 2 adrenergic
agonist. The local anesthetics act by blocking sodium channels, whereas the alpha 2
adrenergic agonist acts by binding to pre synapyic C fibre and post synaptic dorsal horn
neurons. Intrathecal alpha 2 adrenergic agonist produce analgesia by depressing the realease
of C fibre transmission by hyperpolarization of post synaptic dorsal horn neurons. Li et al
observed that Glutamate is involved in excitatory neurotransmission nociception and plays an
essential role in relaying noxious stimuli in the spinal cord. Intrathecal injection of alpha
2 adrenergic agonists produces potent antinociceptive effects by altering spinal
neurotransmitter release and effectively treats acute pain.
Efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with mild hyperthermia for improving the anti-tumour effects of carboplatin.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) on the enhancement of hyperthermic chemosensitisation to carboplatin at mild temperatures in experimental tumours. SCCVII carcinoma in C3H/He mice was used to assess tumour...