HBOT is a medical treatment that enhances the body’s healing process by providing 100% pure oxygen in a chamber where atmospheric pressure is increased in a controlled environment. The air we normally breathe only contains 19-21% oxygen. During treatment, patients breathe 100% pure oxygen. The increased oxygen intake provided by HBOT assists the body’s natural healing ability. HBOT also helps the body build new connective tissue. Consequently, HBOT may assist the body’s organs in functioning more efficiently altogether.

Under normal circumstances, oxygen is transported throughout the body by red blood cells only. Because HBOT forces oxygen into the body under pressure, oxygen dissolves into all of the body’s fluid, including the plasma, the Lymph, and the cerebrospinal fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord. These fluids can carry the extra oxygen to areas where circulation is poor or blocked. In this way, more oxygen can reach damaged tissues and the body has a greater opportunity to support its own healing.

North Shore Health and Hyperbarics treats conditions that are Covered by Insurance (“on label”) and Not Covered by Insurance (“off label”) .

Covered Conditions – “On-Label”

• Acute carbon monoxide intoxication
• Decompression illness
• Gas embolism
• Gas gangrene
• Acute traumatic peripheral ischemia
• Crush injuries and suturing of severed limbs
• Progressive necrotizing infections
• Acute peripheral arterial insufficiency
• Preparation and preservation of compromised skin grafts
• Chronic refractory osteomyelitis, unresponsive to conventional medical and surgical management
• Osteoradionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment
• Soft tissue radionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment
• Cyanide poisoning
• Actinomycosis, only as an adjunct to conventional therapy when the disease process is refractory to antibiotics and surgical treatment
• Diabetic wounds of the lower extremities if all of these apply:You have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and have a lower extremity wound that’s due to diabetes.
  You have a wound classified as Wagner grade III or higher.
  You’ve failed an adequate course of standard wound therapy.
  

Not-Insured – Conditions
“Off-Label”
Complications from Cosmetic Surgery
Lyme Disease
Crohn’s Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Stroke
Sudden Hearing Loss

The treatment is 80 or 120 minutes depending on the condition being treated and the protocol prescribed by our physicians. 

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is safe, non-invasive and found to be very effective in the healing process. During each treatment or “dive”, patients rest comfortably in a spacious hyperbaric oxygen chamber. While some may experience a slight pressure in their ears – similar to that felt during a descent on an airplane – most patients experience little to no side effects. Patients are under the constant surveillance of medical technicians whom they can communicate freely with throughout their treatment. While in the chamber, most patients are able to relax, listen to music, watch a DVD or even fall asleep.

Yes one of our two board certified physicians is in the clinic during all treatments including for all wound care patients

Eat a balanced, nutritious meal a few hours before treatment. Make sure you keep hydrated throughout the day. Prior to treatment, avoid alcohol or carbonated drinks. It's best to avoid smoking and any other tobacco products during your treatment period, as they interfere with the body's ability to transport oxygen and can counteract the benefits of hyperbaric therapy.

Notify us immediately if you’re feeling any cold or flu-like symptoms before treatment, as this may interfere with your ability to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Due to the oxygen-rich environment inside the hyperbaric chamber, the only thing you are permitted to take in with you is a water bottle. We will provide this before you start your treatment.

You will be reminded before each hyperbaric treatment not to bring anything that could be dangerous in the increased oxygen environment. If an item is not on our approved list, has not been given to you by us, or has not been approved by the Safety Director, then it would be prudent to avoid bringing it into the chamber.