In Part 1 of this Research Rundown, we try to wrap our heads around an evidence brief prepared for the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), entitled Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury and or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Highlights:
- The brief references that there is evidence of hyperbaric oxygen therapy being effective against 14 listed indications.
- There have been 40% less amputation since 1500 hospitals started administering hyperbaric oxygen therapy to patients at high risk for amputation.
- Many veterans live with non-healing wounds, and the brief points out that HBOT is a good therapy to help with that. However, a traumatic brain injury is also a non-healing wound causing chronic inflammation of the brain.; with brain inflammation also being linked to many cases of PTSD.
- Only 13 studies on hyperbaric oxygen therapy and PTSD/TBI are included in the brief, while there are 103 studies on the topic that are excluded.
- Dr. Harch, a foremost expert in this field, and they have only included 1 of his 6 studies on the topic; but it is concerning that they have not been included in his brief. We are actively pursuing Dr. Harch to be a guest on HBOT News in hopes he can shed more light on the subject.
Tune in next week for Part 2 of this Research Rundown when we dive a little deeper and work towards connecting the dots.
Read the Full Paper:
Parr NJ, Anderson J, Veazie S. Evidence Brief: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Washington (DC): Department of Veterans Affairs (US); 2021 Jul. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572533/