The Injured Brain
Can Be Repaired
Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND Medical Director
My Ten Year Hyperbaric Journey:
Advanced Hyperbaric & Recovery Centre Vancouver, BC Canada
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About Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND In 1999 when I first started in the field of hyperbaric medicine, there was very little known on the affects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) on conditions outside of the 13 hospital approved by theUHMS (Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society). For the past ten years I have been seeing patients in the first and largest private multi-place hyperbaric chamber in Canada, primarily for neurological conditions and brain injuries like Cerebral Palsy, strokes, and head injuries. At first, we only understood the affects of HBOT on injured tissue through its application for non-healing wounds. We only knew that HBOT would cause an increase in partial pressure of oxygen (P02) in the wound which would start a process of collagen formation (new tissue production). Plus it would cause the body to both reduce any swelling to the injured tissue along with producing new blood vessels to the injured area resulting in long term healing of the wound. It would take around 20 to 60 daily treatment applications to heal the wound.
Table of Contents About Dr. Ratansi, ND Testimonials The Hyperbaric Difference Find the Cause Stem Cell Research HBOT and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) HBOT and Autism HBOT and Stroke Other Articles
The chamber at Advanced Hyperbaric is the largest in western Canada.
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My Ten Year Hyperbaric Journey: About Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND c The healing beliefs of HBOT were acceptable and worked brilliantly at the time for wounds that conventional medicine could not cure. So much so that it became an approved hospital treatment for those wounds that were so severe that they could only be cured by either HBOT or amputation. This success gave way to a pro-active group of physicians practicing in the field of hyperbarics that argued against limiting HBOT to non-healing surface wounds. These physicians, me included, argued that if the application of this procedure could be so powerful for tissue in healing wounds, then how about the brain tissue? You see, knowing that the brain is one of the highest consumers of oxygen (25% of your oxygen in the body is used up by the brain), then it stands to reason that it can be even more crucial to use the hyperbaric technology for brain disorders. Through very little funding and a few private chambers being made available, thousands of patients suffering from neurological disorders were given access to hyperbaric medicine. It became apparent from clear results early on that HBOT is a key to recovery from brain injuries along with many more conditions as the field evolves in research and clinical applications. Based on this limited research data and the amazing results that were seen, the era of HBOT for brain injuries was born. This is where my "real journey" began. Using HBOT to heal brain injuries was one of the most controversial issues in medicine, yet I proceeded with treatments. In my mind, there was enough scientific research and it made rational sense. The next step was to confirm that it worked. And boy did it work! In the first months of opening, I saw patients make more than astounding improvements. Interestingly, it was the words of the patient's caregivers (like the mothers and fathers) that expressed the greatest successes. I, myself was at a loss for words. I could not believe what I saw. Spasticity decreased, spontaneous speech began, mothers reported that their kids looked at them for the first time. From minor improvements to major improvements, they were all substantial in the perspectives of all who were involved. I was a believer, even with my medical scrutiny. Over the past 10 years of practicing in the field of hyperbaric medicine, much has evolved. Documented research comes out each day proving that the injured brain can be repaired along with many other conditions by using Hyperbaric Oxygenation Therapy. In terms of clinical improvements, more and more private chambers are now opening up and all are reporting positive results.
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My Ten Year Hyperbaric Journey: About Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND c Many HBOT clinics including the Advanced Hyperbaric & Recovery Centre are documenting with video the improvements being made by brain-injured patients. After ten years, I can say without a doubt that "The Injured Brain Can Be Repaired" My career results show that these are the neurological conditions in which 'the injured brain'has been repaired: Head Injury Autism Stroke Parkinson's disease Alzheimer's disease Multiple Sclerosis Huntington's chorea Cerebral Palsy Fetal Alcohol Syndrome The following pages are filled with testimonials and research results on how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has changed the face of healing for patients with traumatic brain injury, autism and stroke. Patients given little to no hope by traditional medicine have seen tremendous results proving that indeed ... the injured brain CAN be repaired.
Testimonials Tram's Stroke Recovery Condition: February 2008 hemorrhagic stroke caused by a subdural hemorrhage secondary to left occipital. Injury from Stroke: Paralysis of the entire left side caused by the shifting of the brain to the right side of the head. At the time, total loss of eye sight. Treatment Results: Tram started HBOT treatments in Sept 2008 at The Advanced Hyperbaric and RecoveryCentre. Remarkable results could be seen early on as her overall balance improved considerably. The vision in her left visual field improved as well though dark and blurry at times. She gained back 5 to 10% of her right visual field. Prior to HBOT,she experienced complete darkness. After 80 treatments as of June 1, 2009, Tram's condition has improved even more dramatically. She is walking on her own with practically no balance issues; her left vision is almost clear (with eye glasses); and she gained back about 30% of her right visual field. Tram now has her life back! Today she is back to going to the grocery store, gardening, cooking and reading. Tram has a fantastic attitude and refuses to give up.
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Tram - March 2008 before HBOT treatments
Tram - June 2009 after 80 HBOT treatments at AHRC
Tait's Recovery from Autism Condition: Autism (age 18 months) Treatment Results: (voice of mother) Tait's health and development were starting to improve after getting his food allergies under control, but we remained concerned with his GI Track health and lack of vocalization. Friends and family reassured us that he would "catch-up" and "talk in his own time"; but we decided to try early intervention and started Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in conjunction with the Tomatis listening program available right next door to your Clinic. Within a few treatments Tait was babbling away most of the day and saying "mama" without being prompted. By twenty treatments, Tait said, "Da Da" for the first time and was using over ten words with more coming daily. In addition to his improved vocalization, and much to our surprise, we were witnessing incredible cognitive development and improvement in his social engagement.
Tait - May 2009 in the AHRC HBOT Chamber
Tait's world became filled with enchantment and wonder. Even with all the development we were witnessing what really moved me and made all this hard work worth while was the "sparkle" that came back in Tait's eyes after being gone for over a year.
Stephanie Martin's TBI Recovery Condition: 1999 traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by horseback riding accident. The horse kicked Stephanie in her head. Injury from TBI: Wheelchair bound unable to speak or walk. Complete loss of motor skills. Could only breathe. Treatment Results: After the accident Stephanie's doctors predicted she would never walk, talk or be able to feed herself. During the 160 HBOT treatments in 2000-01 taken with Dr. Ratansi, Stephanie regained her motor skills and is now able to walk, run, speak, write and communicate. Her remarkable recovery showed itself when she first spoke at 120 treatments and first walked at 140 treatments.
Byron's Post-TBI Recovery Condition: Post-traumatic brain Injury at 9 years of age - born 1971. Injury from TBI: Mobility-problems walking; reduced mental acuity and speech. Treatment Results: (voice of mother) There have definitely been improvements after the 40 HBOT treatments at AHRC taken in May 2009 2009 (28 years following the car accident). On Sunday morning Byron woke at 5:00 am, came into our bedroom to tell us he was cold. Since the accident, Byron has not been able to identify how he felt and then tell us. That was quite amazing. Then, on Sunday afternoon, Byron played catch and 'blew us away' when he threw the ball. Since the accident, he has not been able to let go of the ball, and when he finally did, the ball would go in any direction. Sunday, he threw right toward Jeff and then toward me, and each time we would catch it. It sounds so simple, but from where Byron was to seeing him throw, was profound! When I picked Byron up at the Rec Center today, the elderly gentleman who works with him kept saying, "simply amazing, simply amazing." The steps we notice are so small, no one else might notice. To us, they are profound. Thank you so much for believing in Byron.
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Stephanie - 2001 recovered from TBI at the AHRC
The Hyperbaric Difference by Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND People often ask ‘why hyperbaric?’ Why not just breathe 100% oxgen like they give in the hospital or when you are put on oxygen by the paramedics. Isn’t that good enough? My answer is NO. There is a big difference: it is what I call ‘the hyperbaric difference.’ In a normal setting, breathing 100% oxygen (as opposed to 21% oxygen in air), does not make a real difference in the oxygen that goes into the blood stream. When the blood goes to the lungs to get oxygen, the red blood cells can only carry so much and leave the lungs around 97% full. Note that even the oxygen, in the air that you breath (which is 21% in composition), is still not fully used up. When you breathe out you exhale C02 and O2 (oxygen). This is why you can re-breathe life into someone (called CPR). You are re-breathing the oxygen that is not absorbed into the red blood cells. The red blood cells are full when they leave the lungs and cannot carry any more. In a hyperbaric environment, the pressure alone forces the extra oxygen to be dissolved into the plasma (the fluid that carries the red blood cell). When oxygen gets into the blood, it is dissolved into two areas: the red blood cells and the blood plasma. In a hyperbaric chamber, you can breathe air, which is 21% oxygen, or you can breathe 100% oxygen. Either way, you are not only significantly increasing your blood oxygen levels, but you are taking it one step further. You are getting the oxygen to areas that your red blood cells and your body can't get to because of the size of the red blood cells. To me, this is the biggest breakthrough in medicine. We can heal with more oxygen and the only real way to get more oxygen is to be in a
hyperbaric chamber. You can't eat more oxygen, you can't drink more oxygen, and you can't breathe more oxygen. You can only breathe more oxygen under pressure to cause a significant increase in your oxygen levels. In a hyperbaric environment, the oxygen that you breathe supersaturates above and beyond your red blood cell carrying capacity and spills into the fluids that carry the red blood cells. The increased pressure combined with the increased percentage of oxygen will cause a net increase in the oxygen content. The brain is one of the most unique organs that we have. It is basically submersed and bathed in fluid. This fluid is called CSF or cerebrospinal fluid. As its name indicates, it bathes not only the brain, but the spinal cord and every one of its nerves that comes out. So if hyperbaric oxygen causes a significant rise in oxygen in body fluids and we know that the brain is bathed by a body fluid known as cerebrospinal fluid, then it is easy to understand that a hyperbaric environment is absolutely crucial to the recovering brain that needs the extra oxygen for repair and regeneration. It is the only way to get a significant amount of oxygen into the brain. So pressure, whether it is 1.3 ATA absolute or it is 3.0 ATA absolute, will significantly increase the oxygen in the body, more particularly the body fluids that red blood cells cannot deliver to, regardless of breathing 21% oxygen (normal air) or 100% oxygen (oxygen in a mask). Bottom line is that if you have a brain injury, get yourself into a hyperbaric chamber, whether you are breathing air or 100% oxygen, just get yourself into a chamber. 'The hyperbaric difference' will help allow you to 'soak up' the extra oxygen into your brain.
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Brain Food:
it's ok to be a fathead by Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND When repairing 'the injured brain', we must look at the actual composition and tissue of the brain. Oxygen is important to the brain cell just as gas is important to a car. However, it would be extremely unwise not to look at the composition of the brain cell itself and all of its intricate connections. Just as well, it would be unwise to not look at the motor of a car and just fill it up with gas after it stopped working. You see, the brain is actually made up of mostly fat. In addition, it is not only this fat that causes the structural component and framework but also the fat that helps to speed up the connections within this network. So in other words, fat is good for the brain. So much so that the brain in optimal functioning is composed of around 60% fat. That means that your brain is actually mostly fat and this is a good thing. However, there is one big thing to note. As you may already know, there are 'good fats' and there are 'bad fats'.
That holds true to the brain fat as well. So there are good fatheads and bad fatheads. In general, the omega 3 families of fats are the ones that are good for the brain. We call this 'brain food' and this can be from fish, nuts and seeds. Fish oil supplementation is of particular interest as it has been given not only much research opportunities but also shown subsequently much clinical results. The main structural component of fats that have emerged in recent research is a composition of the omega 3 fats and EPA called DHA. This component is much higher in fish oil concentrates and thus it is now the brain food of choice to help 'repair the injured brain'. The brain and the whole nervous system rely on adequate DHA for structural support and integrity. Clearly then, the injured brain would require more for optimal repair and regeneration.
Find the Cause by Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND
As I have said in numerous statements, the injured brain can be repaired. Now for those who suffered a head injury from trauma, the cause is quite clear. However, for those suffering from other neurological disorders particularly autism, PD, MS, ALS, MS, the cause is not as apparent. So here is a start ...
Diet Check for food sensitivities and food allergies. I cannot stress how important this can be, particularly for those suffering from developmental
delay disorders like autism. It is true, I have seen patients just take a couple of foods out of their diet and improvements were immense. My best example is of an autistic patient who just took gluten, wheat, and dairy out of the diet and almost instantly the child started speaking again. Now I have others that don't make as significant progress from eliminating foods but still have improvements. The major food culprits are wheat, dairy, citrus, corn, eggs, and soy. Try eliminating these and you may just be pleasantly surprised.
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Find the Cause con’t by Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND
Lifestyle The way we live our life has a major impact on our health. When I mean lifestyle, I speak of stress levels, sleep, nicotine/cigarette smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs. Also, even though they are a part of dietary, I also include excessive caffeine and or soda pop consumption and poor water intake (dehydration). The brain is very susceptible to not having enough sleep, being dehydrated or being stressed out, etc. The results are not only immediate but can cumulative over time and may impact you more at a much later age. Alcohol/smoking/drug abuse can cause significant damage to the brain and we might attribute it more to a fall or some kind of head trauma. This is not always the case and the head trauma might be no where as severe as when combined with these other factors. Cigarettes have significant carbon monoxide levels which again can have cumulative long term effects on the functioning of the brain. Here is the bottom line, if you have a brain injury or neurological condition, it is just as important to try to clean up your lifestyle as it is to eliminate potential food allergies and reactions
Environment We all know that the environment is polluted, but how does that affect the body. I will tell you in a nutshell - MAJOR HEALTHCARE CRISIS. The 3 most susceptible parts of our body to environmental chemicals is the brain/central nervous system, the immune system and the hormonal system. Since this report focuses on 'the injured brain' I will focus on this topic. It is proven and clear evidence shows that chemicals like solvents, pesticides, herbicides, lead, mercury and many more common exposures that we are in contact with, can not only have
detrimental effects on the functioning of the brain, but can also be a significant contributor to the disease at hand, whether it's a chronic disease like parkinsons, MS, ALS, autism, or just plain getting old, 'starting to forget things' or 'my son is normal but has problems focusing' or 'I just feel anxious a lot of the time'. The list of diseases and/or symptoms related to environmental influences in health is too large to list. Everyone should look at their environment, both past and present, and immediately clean their body of these harmful chemical toxins. Find out what's in your brain that should not be and eliminate it. Not only that, if you are in constant exposure to these chemicals then eliminate your exposure. In my extensive experience in treating the injured brain, I can say that without a doubt, the injured brain cannot be repaired fully if there is still a large presence of neurotoxins (chemical toxins in the brain).
Summary For full repair of the injured brain, we must look at diet, lifestyle, and environmental applications, where applicable.
AHRC also provides
full nutritional counseling to support the success of your hyperbaric oxygen treatments.
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HBOT &
Stem Cell Research Articles & Research
Stem Cell research -''Hyperbaric Medicine showing promise' by Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND This is truly an exciting field of research that Hyperbaric Medicine is now in the middle of. Research clearly shows that a typical course of hyperbaric oxygenation therapy (HBOT) can increase circulating stem cells by up to 800%. Not only that, the newest research shows us that this increase in stem cells holds particularly true to human brain cells and what we can call 'New Baby Brain Cells.' So much has recently been made on the controversial issue regarding human embryonic placental stem cell therapy. There is a harsh division on both sides. However, the majority on both sides, believe in the advancements in science and research and thus both sides are in favor of medical research, it's just that the one side does not want the research to involve embryonic tissue. It is for this very reason that the research coming out on hyperbaric oxygen therapy and stem cells is so exciting for me. You see, this is something that both groups can agree on and now there is no controversy on this issue. What you get is pure science and research with a movement toward a cure for 'the injured brain' (and many other disorders). This is what is exciting. Let me elaborate further. As earlier discussed in "My Journey�, originally in my clinical practice of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for brain injuries, our understanding was that HBOT could heal the brain and patients with brain injuries improved immensely. We
knew that swelling was reduced and new blood vessel growth was promoted by adding HBOT to a patient's treatment protocol, but the main explanation that we gave at the time was that HBOT caused a significant reduction in oxygen debt that was scientifically shown in areas following brain injuries. These areas of oxygen debt or lowered oxygen tensions were called penumbra areas of the brain. In essence, it was all recoverable tissue that would lead to amazing clinical results of improvements. However the central area of injury was called 'dead' or 'necrotic tissue' that was unrecoverable by the application of HBOT. Now, with the new research on stem cells, particularly brain stem cells, we have to re-evaluate the last part of the statement. This is of extreme significance because it shows that brand new brain tissue can be formed with HBOT and this means that there could be a potential for not just partial recovery but full recovery from brain injuries - 'the injured brain can be repaired.'
Penn Study Finds Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments Mobilize Stem Cells - Recovery of Injured and Diseased Tissue the Ultimate Goal Philadelphia, PA According to a study to be published in The American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulation Physiology, a typical course of hyperbaric oxygen treatments increases by eight-fold the number of stem cells circulating in a patient's body.
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HBOT & Stem Cell Research Articles & Research
Penn Study con’t Stem cells, also called progenitor cells are crucial to injury repair. They exist in the bone marrow of human beings and animals and are capable of changing their nature to become part of many different organs and tissues. In response to injury, these cells move from the bone marrow to the injured sites, where they differentiate into cells that assist in the healing process. The movement, or mobilization, of stem cells can be triggered by a variety of stimuli - including pharmaceutical agents and hyperbaric oxygen treatments. Where as drugs are associated with a host of side effects, hyperbaric oxygen treatments carry a significantly lower risk of such effects. "This is the safest way clinically to increase stem cell circulation, far safer than any of the pharmaceutical options," said Stephen Thom, MD, PhD, Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "This study provides information on the fundamental mechanisms for hyperbaric oxygen and offers a new theoretical therapeutic option for mobilizing stem cells." "We reproduced the observations from humans in animals in order to identify the mechanism for the hyperbaric oxygen effect," added Thom. "We found that hyperbaric oxygen mobilizes stem/progenitor cells because it increases synthesis of a molecule called nitric oxide in the bone marrow. This synthesis is thought to trigger enzymes that mediate stem/progenitor cell release." Hopefully, future study of hyperbaric oxygen's role in mobilizing stem cells will provide a wide array of treatments for combating injury and disease
Proliferation of neural stem cells correlates with Wnt-33 protein in hypoxic-iischemic neonate rats after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Neuroreport, 2007 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy promoted brain cell proliferation. Results showed that stem cells proliferated and peaked 7 days after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We propose that hyperbaric oxygen treatment promote stem cells to proliferate, which is correlated with Wnt-3 protein.
Hyperbaric oxygen induces endogenous neural stem cells to proliferate and differentiate in hypoxic-iischemic brain damage in neonatal rats. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2008 Studies suggest that after brain injury, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) is neuroprotective by stimulating cell proliferation. We examine whether HBO2 promotes neural stem cells (NSC) to proliferate and differentiate in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) rats. HBO2 was administered (2 ATA (atmospheres absolutes), once daily for 7 days. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that HBO2 treatment may promote neurogenesis of the endogenous NSC in neonatal HI rats, contributing to repair of the injured brain.
Special accommodation rates for out-of-towners to help reduce costs during hyperbaric oxygen treatments.
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HBOT &
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Articles & Research
Brain-ddamaged Crash Survivor Mending
January 02, 2009 by Andria Simmons
Oxygen chamber treatment in California is making 'a huge difference.' Sometimes a fresh start begins with a few deep breaths. Demetrius Randle -- a 45-year-old Lawrenceville man who suffered brain damage last spring in a wreck that killed his daughter, son and grandson -has taken a lot of deep breaths lately. He and his wife, Falleen, moved to Malibu, Calif., renting a house there in October so he could undergo a series of treatments in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at Malibu Hyperbaric Medical Center. Such treatments were once reserved for deepsea divers recovering from the bends, or decompression sickness, but now they are also used to stimulate healing of brain injuries and other ailments by saturating the body with oxygen. The Randles decided to move to California because they couldn't find a medical facility in Georgia that offers the treatments, Falleen Randle said, noting that the results have been "amazing." "I just see a huge difference in him. He will carry on a conversation, and his speech is clearer and his ability to want to take part in the conversation is so much higher than it was," she said.
Brain-IInjury Treatment Changes Brandon Woman's Life
January 06, 2009 by Laura Frazier
BRANDON - Mary Ellen Gottlieb spent five years mired in frustration, dealing on a daily basis with the lasting effects of a stroke she suffered in 2003. Until recently, the Brandon woman, 50, was resigned to the notion that she might never fully recover or work again. But one day in November, she pressed the "play" button
on a YouTube video, and serendipity came to call. "They showed a young man who [before treatment] was strapped to a wheelchair all slumped over. He couldn't even track a flashlight with his eyes," she said. Segments shot months later - after dozens of daily treatments and intensive physical therapy - show the man walking, talking and playfully teasing his doctor. "He was in a horrible car accident and had been comatose, but he went from a nearly vegetative state to having so much sparkle and life. I thought, 'If this treatment can do that for someone so severely damaged, what could it do for me? 'Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, commonly used to promote the healing of wounds from surgery, injury, disease or infection, is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of brain injuries or neurological disorders, but Harch and other doctors across the country report using the therapy for such conditions with great success. Because insurance companies typically will not pay for such "off label" uses, the treatment is cost-prohibitive and not widely available. To inquire about the therapy, Gottlieb called Harch Hyperbaric Research Foundation in New Orleans. Harch formed the nonprofit group to study and document the effects of hyperbaric medicine in the treatment of stroke patients and those with brain trauma, cerebral palsy, autism, carbon monoxide poisoning and other neurological conditions. Staff members at the research center noted Gottlieb's high level of post-stroke function, and when they learned of her background in marketing, economics and nonprofit management, they started asking the questions. The kicker: They had a full-time position to fill at the research foundation. Would she be interested? Page Ten
HBOT & Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Articles & Research
Brain-IInjury Treatment Changes Brandon Woman's Life cont’d She wouldn't draw a salary, but in exchange for coordinating patient travel, accommodations and in-kind donations for research programs, she would receive the regenerative therapy for free. Gottlieb jumped at the out-of-the-blue opportunity and packed her bags the week before Christmas to prepare for a move to New Orleans. In December at her mother's apartment in Brandon, Gottlieb gushed with hope for her own recovery and for participants in the foundation's latest study - a clinical trial to document the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with brain trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. "I'm going to be like their house mom," she said. "I know what it's like to have a traumatic brain injury. I know how terrifying and demoralizing it is when you can't add or subtract and you keep falling down and bumping into things and forgetting things. I thought I was going crazy, and I was so frightened. My heart is with these people." Physician Allan Spiegel of Palm Harbor treats patients with traumatic brain injury, stroke and other conditions at National Hyperbaric-Tampa Bay, one of four facilities in the nation recruited to participate in Harch's clinical trial. Spiegel said almost every patient he has treated during the past 11 years has seen positive results. Some, he said, experience dramatic recoveries nothing short of miraculous. "With brain injuries and neurological disorders, nothing works all the time," Spiegel said. "But nothing works as well as hyperbaric oxygen therapy." Last year, Spiegel formed a charitable foundation, Healing Heroes Network, to help fund the treatment for brain-injured soldiers. He said doctors and patients and their families across the country are eager to see the clinical trails completed and brought before the FDA for approval. Spiegel lobbied with Harch and other
hyperbarics proponents for a bill introduced by Congress in November that would require the Department of Defense to pay for or reimburse wounded soldiers for any procedure proven and available to treat their injuries. The group hopes the results of the clinical trial under way will be more than enough to push the bill through so soldiers can start receiving treatments. Gottlieb can barely believe she will receive the therapy and have a hand in a study with the potential to benefit military men and women with traumatic brain injuries. "This treatment basically regrows damaged brain tissue," she said. "We can give so many of these severely wounded veterans their lives back."
Baby Steps to Recovery February 02, 2009 It can take years for the body and mind to recover from a traumatic brain injury, and in most cases, patients never regain full control. But physicians are finding that breakthroughs in hyperbaric oxygen therapy are helping more TBI victims bring their lives back to normal. This type of treatment is helping one Rapid City man take small steps toward rebuilding his life. A year ago, he was just a face in the crowd of students at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. A senior studying civil engineering ready to graduate in December. A father, a fiance. Shaun Herrod led a normal life. "I was just an ordinary guy," Herrod said. Until, in an instant, the snapshots in Herrod's family photo album changed. "Nothing's the same, since May. Everything changed. Our daily routine, our whole life," fiancee Agnes Steele said. Herrod and his son, then four-year-old Keenan, were driving last May when an SUV came barrelling toward them. Police believe the driver was doing around fifty-miles per hour in a
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HBOT & Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Articles & Research
Baby Steps to Recovery cont’d fifteen mile an hour zone. That SUV was quickly in Herrod's lane, and soon, smashed into the driver's side. The driver had blacked out. Herrod was knocked into a coma, leaving fiancee Steele to wait and wonder about their future together and whether the love of her life would ever walk or talk again. "They really had no idea. They really couldn't tell me anything about that. When he slipped into his coma, they told me all I could do was wait. They couldn't say when he'd wake up, if he'd wake up, or what kind of condition he'd be in if he did wake up," Steele said. Not only did he wake up, but he's beating the odds; teaching himself how to talk, eat and even take steps less than a year from the accident. "That's the funny thing: I have to learn to walk again. Like a baby," Herrod said. Each baby step is the result of hours of pain-staking work. In addition to multiple occupational therapy sessions each week, Herrod is using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, a technique Therapist Brett Szymonski says is being used on more traumatic brain injury patients as they return home from the Global War on Terror. "The hyperbarics, it's just a process of putting a person in a chamber that's under pressure and that forces oxygen into the cells of the body, which promotes the healing process," Szymonski said. A process that's showing progress for Steele every week. "The hyperbarics have been tremendously helpful in him becoming more independent. I did practically everything for him, I still do most of it, but he does a lot more by himself than he used to," Steele said. And even if it doesn't always come easily, Herrod says he's thankful to have the chance to struggle through his recovery. "If I give up, there's no use to go on," Herrod said.
"We're not gonna think negative, and that's what I always kept telling him, 'We're going to keep positive. You're going to get through this. We're going to go home and get our lives back to normal. You're going to go back to school.' That's all I can really do and keep his humor up," Steele said. By this fall, Herrod hopes to once again be just a face in the crowd of students at his old campus. Karla Ramaekers: "Do you want to walk across the stage to get your diploma on graduation day?" Herrod: "Yes, yes, very much." Karla Ramaekers asks, "Think you can do it?" Herrod: "Yes. It's taking time. I understand that it will take time." Time well spent to rebuild a life put on hold. Maconnell Baker, the person who was responsible for Herrod's accident, was sentenced in December for vehicular battery. He was given a 10-year suspended prison sentence, six months in jail, 300 hours of community service and ordered to pay restitution
Texas Soldier Gets Hyperbaric Chamber Treatment In Bay Area March 11, 2009 By Katie Coronado, News Channel 8 Bradley Thomas was an athletic man who loved the outdoors, but that all changed when the infantry soldier's tank was struck by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Doctors say the explosion left the 23-year-old semi-comatose, so the Texas man was brought to Tampa's James A. Haley V.A. Hospital for treatment. Day after day, he is transported to University Community Hospital in Carrollwood where he undergoes hyperbaric chamber treatment. "He's going each day into a pressurized oxygen chamber," said Dr. Ajay Patel. "That pressurized oxygen chamber puts
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HBOT & Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Articles & Research
Texas Soldier Gets Hyperbaric Chamber Treatment In Bay Area con’t him down to about one-and-a-half atmospheres, and in doing so it increases the amount of oxygen he receives and increases the amount of oxygen that healing tissue needs, such as the brain itself." There are risks associated with the treatment, Patel noted. The eardrum could be injured, and patients can develop seizures because of the pressure, he said. But he added that Bradley has not had any complications. "The goal for him is try to get him as much function back as possible," said Patel. Since the start of his treatment, Bradley has shown dramatic improvement, doctors say. He went from being semi-conscious to responding by blinking his eyes. Bradley's mother, Veronica Thomas, said "it's just another day closer to recovery," adding that even small signs of progress give her hope Thomas said her son is responding to verbal commands, "He's smiling, squeezing a hand," she said. "We're seeing more spontaneous [reactions]. He just seems like he's more with us."
Medical Watch: New treatments helping to cure brain injuries for soldiers February 10, 2009, by Meg Farris, Eyewitness News NEW ORLEANS - It's been called the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Traumatic brain injury may have affected 320,000 service men and women, costing as much as $32,000 a year to treat. Now a local doctor and injured soldier are part of a groundbreaking study that hopes to find a new treatment.
At 17 years old, Jake Mathers enlisted in the Marine Corps, the youngest in his division of 20,000. He served in Iraq twice. "Until like the last two months that we were there, we literally got shot at and blown up and mortared every single day," Mathers said. His role models: A father who flew U-2 Spy Planes in the cold war and a grandfather, George "Bud" Day, who was highly decorated in the Marine Corps Air Force. He served in Korea and Vietnam. Day was a POW with Senator John McCain, earned several Purple Hearts and the Congressional Medal of Honor. Like his grandfather, Jake now too has the Purple Heart, and the same terrible post war nightmares. "You think you're going to die?" I ask. "Oh yeah, those dream - I always have those dreams, you know. They probably will never go away. My grandfather still has them, and he's in his 80s," Mathers said. That's why Jake has come to New Orleans from his home in Monroe. He is part of a pilot study with LSU Health Sciences Center's Dr. Paul Harch. As an emergency medicine expert, Harch has been studying in animals and humans for years if Hyperbaric Oxygen treatments, the kind used to heal wounds of diabetics and divers, can also heal brain damage. "If you lose consciousness, you will lose brain cells. You lose brain tissue," Harch said. And that's exactly what happened to Jake in Iraq. Nearly two dozen times he was knocked unconscious. So, along with the post traumatic stress disorder known as PTSD, he has brain damage. "You forget where you put your cell phone, like, 10 times a day. You can't find your car keys. You can't really do anything productive without screwing it up a couple of times," Mathers said.
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Medical Watch: New treatments helping to cure brain injuries for soldiers con’t A video with music recorded on it, put on YouTube, shows a suicide bomber in a truck loaded with artillery shells and barrels of gasoline that hit Mathers' observational post. Fellow soldiers lost eyes, limbs, fingers and toes. "The gasoline went everywhere and started burning all around my body, and so I could still feel that pain in my unconscious state and it felt like I was burning. So I thought I was going to hell and it was really bad," said Mathers, who said he thought he had died. Jake is one of the first soldiers in the study to complete the testing, brain imaging and 40 so called "dives" in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. And he believes it's made a difference. "My sleep is better, I'm sleeping longer, I'm not dreaming about mean and angry things constantly," Mathers said. "My memory, I don't even have a memory problem anymore. I don't have headaches at all any more." Harch said the results have been encouraging. "Two of the three have had an over 40 percent reduction in PTSD symptoms in a 35 day period using the military's PTSD check list, which is a huge reduction in symptoms," Harch said. "And we are also seeing improvements in memory, attention and some of the other factors." Harch has many critics who don't believe hyperbaric medicine can help the brain. He hopes this study will lead to bigger military studies and published scientific evidence to convince them. At only 21, Jake hopes to convince his critics as well. "A lot of people see all the bad things that U.S. Marines do. But nobody ever sees all the schools that we build and all the medical supplies that we give," Mathers said. "I must have given out 10,000 soccer balls alone myself, and hundreds of pounds of candy to little kids. But nobody ever shows that."
Hyperbaric oxygen in traumatic brain injury Neurol Res. 2007 Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Hennepin County Medical Center, Growing evidence, however, shows that HBO may be a potential treatment for patients with severe brain injury. Further investigations, including a multicenter prospective randomized clinical trial, will be required to definitively define the role of HBO in severe TBI.
Pilot case study of the therapeutic potential of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on chronic brain injury J Neurol Sci. 2007 BACKGROUND: Recently, the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO(2) therapy was explored in the treatment of chronic TBI. It has been speculated that idling neurons in the penumbra zone remain viable several years after injury and might be reactivated by enhanced oxygenation. We studied the therapeutic potential of HBO(2) therapy in a 54-year-old man who had sustained traumatic brain injuries one year before testing that resulted in permanent neurological symptoms. CONCLUSION: The present single-case study provides preliminary evidence of neuropsychological and electrophysiological improvements after series of 20 and 60 treatments
Hyperbaric oxygen in neurosurgery. 2009 Mar 11 Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital, Germany. CONCLUSION: With the use of modern biological methods and new study designs, HBO has a place in evidencebased treatment of patients with neural tissue damage.
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Hyperbaric oxygen therapy assists with traumatic injury May 7, 2008, Ivanhoe Broadcast News Service. HBOT has also been found to be effective for traumatic brain injury, strokes, cerebral palsy, autism, near drowning, near hanging, birth injury, genetic disorders like mitochondrial disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, among other conditions.
First successful treatment for chronic traumatic brain injury October 14, 2007 CA research team led by Dr. Paul Harch, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans and Director of the LSU Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship Program, has published findings that show hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improved spatial learning and
memory in a model of chronic traumatic brain injury. In conclusion, a 40-day series of 80 lowpressure HBOTs caused an increase in vascular density and an associated improvement in cognitive function. These new findings could hold enormous significance not only for the million+ who sustain TBI from falls, motor vehicle accidents and assaults in this country each year, but also for returning US military veterans.
Researchers Report First Successful Treatment of Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury Oct. 11, 2007 The findings, published in Brain Research are purportedly the first-ever demonstration of improvement of chronic brain injury in animal. This demonstration is a landmark achievement that reverses 100 years of neurology and the institutionalized belief that chronic brain injury in untreatable.
HBOT & Autism Articles & Research
Oxygen tanks improve autism symptoms, says research March 13, 2009 by Adfero DirectNews New research published in the journal BMC Paediatrics has shown that putting children with autism into pressurized oxygen tanks reduces symptoms of the learning disability. Eighty per cent of those children aged five to seven treated with hyperbaric oxygen chambers, much like those used by divers, saw improvements, with 30 per cent being "very much improved" or "much improved". Symptoms such as hyperactivity and
anger were decreased when the children were placed in the tanks twice a day for four weeks, and speech and social interaction also increased. The researchers, from the International Child Development Resource Centre in Florida, said: "In the light of the positive results of this study and those of several previous studies, the use of hyperbaric treatment appears to be a promising treatment for children with autism."A recent discovery by researchers at the University of California found a gene that is thought to increase the risk of autism.
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Oxygen Therapy Benefits Children with Autism Sep 20, 2007 By Beth Hillyer
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy might improve certain pathophysiological findings in autism. Med Hypotheses. 2007
HONOLULU (KHNL) - A new treatment is giving hope to parents of children diagnosed with autism. We meet with a family whose child's development is improving thanks to the benefits of oxygen therapy. Some are talking for the first time, and interacting with their families. There is new hope for autistic children treated with oxygen therapy in pressurized chambers. The 7year-old child crawls into her play cave, nicknamed her blue tunnel. A therapist stays with her. A new study proves spending time in capsules at the Hyperbaric Medical Center helps autistic children. Study Coordinator Helen McCracken explains, "There are high incidents of autism in children 1 in 150 and we just can't ignore it and we felt here at the center it was important to do the study." Alyshia Busby's daughter completed the study, "We saw some amazing results from the first round of treatment. We have been through the gamut of treatment from biomedical to dietary, conventional, unconventional, we have done it all and this was the first time we have actually seen immediate undeniable results." McCracken demonstrates how it works, "These children are in this chamber pressurized down to about 18 feet of seawater and they wear a mask. It gives them 100 percent oxygen and at this level are the healing properties of hyperbaric therapy. " For the Busby's the results are amazing, "Everything from spontaneous language to attention and focus increase." The families completed 20 hours of therapy, now most are continuing successful sessions in the blue tunnel.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder currently affecting as many as 1 out of 166 children in the United States.. HBOT has been reported to possess strong anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to improve immune function. There is evidence that oxidative stress can be reduced with HBOT through the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes. HBOT can also increase the function and production of mitochondria and improve neurotransmitter abnormalities. In addition, HBOT upregulates enzymes that can help with detoxification problems specifically found in autistic children. Dysbiosis is common in autistic children and HBOT can improve this. Impaired production of porphyrins in autistic children might affect the production of heme, and HBOT might help overcome the effects of this problem. Finally, HBOT has been shown to mobilize stem cells from the bone marrow to the systemic circulation. Recent studies in humans have shown that stem cells can enter the brain and form new neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. It is expected that amelioration of these underlying pathophysiological problems through the use of HBOT will lead to improvements in autistic symptoms. Several studies on the use of HBOT in autistic children are currently underway and early results are promising.
Oxygen therapy benefit in autism : A decompression chamber may help children with autism, say researchers. March 2009 After 40 hours of hyperbaric treatment autistic children showed significant improvements in social interaction and eye contact compared with controls.
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Oxygen therapy benefit in autism con’t
hyperbaric chamber if they have a spare $14-17,000.
The BMC Pediatrics study could not show if the results were long-lasting but should prompt further investigation of the treatment, the US team said. One theory is that oxygen can help reduce inflammation and improve flow of oxygen to brain tissue. Hyperbaric treatment - effectively giving high concentrations of oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure - has been shown to have some benefit in other neurological conditions such as foetal alcohol syndrome and cerebral palsy. Some studies have looked at the treatment in children with autism but they have not compared with a dummy procedure raising questions around a "placebo effect". In the latest study, carried out at six centres in the US, 62 children aged two to seven with autism were randomly assigned to receive 40 hours of treatment over a month with 24% oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure (1.3 atm) or normal air in a slightly pressurised room (1.03 atm). Children who received the treatment showed significant improvements in overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, eye contact, and sensory or cognitive awareness. In all, 30% in the treatment group were rated by doctors as "very much improved" or "much improved" compared with 8% of those in the control group. Overall, 80% in the treatment group improved compared with 38% of controls. Behaviour Study leader, Dr Dan Rossignol from the International Child Development Resource Centre, in Florida, said the use of hyperbaric therapy for autism has been gaining popularity in the US where parents can buy their own
He said the findings would be quite controversial and he too was initially very sceptical of the idea but was prompted to do more research after the treatment showed benefits for his two sons who have autism. "We're certainly not talking about a cure, we're talking about improvements in behaviour, improving certain functions and quality of life. "The next step is to try to find out which kids do respond, because it's an expensive treatment it may be that kids with more inflammation respond better. "It would also be nice to know how long the treatment lasts, and the finding needs to be confirmed." Richard Mills, research director at Research Autism, said this was the first well-designed study looking at the therapy. "We know this kind of therapy is useful in a number of neurological conditions and that's been well established. "What we don't know is how useful it is in autism, what we could be seeing is an improvement in other neurological conditions that go alongside autism. "We also don't know about long-term effects - it could be a transitory effect." Professor Philip James, an expert in hyperbaric medicine at the University of Dundee, said the pressure used was no more than that used to pressurise an aircraft cabin on the ground. He added that oxygen was the "controller of inflammation" but also had other effects on regulation of genes and tissue regeneration. But even if proven, the treatment may not be for everybody. "When you have any condition, there are people who have too much damage to get better." "All the oxygen is doing is bringing things towards normal."
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Controversial treatments for autism Linda Ann Chomin, O&E, February 8, 2009 Biomedical treatment for autism is controversial. For that reason Heidi Scheer is telling her story at the first international conference on the disorder which stole her son from their family at 15 months. It was then she says Gannon started to fade into his own world. Scheer ran on the platform of defeating autism for Mrs. Michigan USA 2008. She continues to speak on the neurological disorder whenever the opportunity presents itself, as 1 in 150 children are affected. The conference came about after she asked Dr. Phillip DeMio, president of the American Medical Autism Board, to talk at a meeting of the Autism Society of America, Macomb chapter. DeMio and the AMAB are presenting the weekend event that offers separate sessions for physicians and families of children with autism. Gannon stopped responding to his name and his speech came to a halt more than six years ago. Devastated, Scheer began researching treatments and found many children with autism have food sensitivities. The Commerce Township mother removed gluten from his diet even though the speech therapist told her there was no scientific evidence it would work. In three weeks Gannon's 3-year battle with diarrhea ended. He spoke his first sentence and behavioral problems such as biting other children began to subside. With further research, Scheer discovered DAN (Defeat Autism Now), a project of the Autism Research Institute to educate parents and clinicians about biomedically-based research and safe and effective treatments.
Gannon underwent a variety of alternative therapies from supplements to chiropractic, chelation (removal of heavy metals from the body), and hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat underlying causes of symptoms. Today Gannon, age 8, can speak fully. He is above grade level academically. Scheer's advice to parents is never give up. "I want parents to know there is help," said Scheer who still is uncertain if vaccines caused Gannon's problems. She believes some children have stronger immune systems, like her older son Carson, and are not affected by certain additives such as mercury. Daughter Ella though had 23-days of diarrhea after her 6 month vaccination
The doctor's chambers By Kim Archer, World Staff Writer March 9, 2009 One looks like a white submarine ready to dive into the depths, with a small circular port window to peer out on an imaginary sea. The other one - not so much. They are both hyperbaric oxygen chambers, and true to their U.S. Navy roots, time spent in one is called "a dive." Even the pressurization inside is measured by depths of the sea. Two clinics in Tulsa have hyperbaric chambers that are used to aid in healing wounds: St. John Medical Center and OSU Medical Center. "It forces oxygen into malfunctioning limbs. For diabetic wounds and wounds in general, it can start building new blood vessels in that area," said Dr. Gerald Wootan of Jenks Health Team, 715 W. Main St.
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The doctor's chambers con’t At a price of at least $400 per dive, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be expensive. But for a diabetic seeking to ward off amputation of a limb, a 40-dive protocol can save money and a limb, Wootan said. "The cost is about one-fourth of what a diabetic would pay for an amputation surgery and hospitalization," he said.
hyperbaric oxygen therapy. "Within a week, I noticed a big difference in Trent. Before, his speech was very basic and babyish talk. He would stare and laugh inappropriately. He wouldn't look you in the eyes and he would zone out," she said.
While Wootan treats diabetic wounds, he has taken hyperbaric oxygen therapy even further.
After a month of the therapy, "Trent was a completely different little boy," Hill said. The earlier mannerisms had faded and he was better able to focus during occupational and speech therapy, she said.
His patients are stroke victims, children with autism, patients with peripheral vascular disease, people whose bones or soft tissue have been damaged by radiation, people with cerebral palsy, patients with skin grafts or burns, and those with any condition created or worsened by a lack of blood flow.
One day, Trent even told his mother they were late for an appointment. "I turned around and said, 'Since when can you tell time?' " Hill said. "What I've found is that he's actually going through the social development steps now that he didn't go through earlier. Now he's engaging and reaching out to people."
By immersing the patient in 100 percent oxygen at more than twice the normal atmospheric pressure, the hyperbaric oxygen treatment dissolves oxygen in the blood plasma and in all body cells, tissues and fluids at up to 10 times normal concentration, he says.
U.S. researchers are launching studies of the use of hyperbarics both for traumatic head injuries and for autism. A 2006 pilot study by a Virginia researcher saw statistically significant improvements among its autistic subjects in mannerisms, health and physical behavior, sensory and cognitive awareness and speech, language and communication.
In fact, more parents of autistic children across the country are turning to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, chelation and a special diet to help their children. It is called the Defeat Autism Now or DAN protocol. As one of only two licensed health care professionals in Oklahoma listed on the DAN clinician registry, Wootan sees between 100 and 200 autistic children on a regular basis. Autism is a brain-based disorder that affects a person's behavior, social and communication skills. The parent of one of those children, Yvette Hill of Shawnee, has been thrilled with how her 11year-old autistic son Trent is progressing due to
Still, some label the treatment's use among autistic children as quackery. But Wootan, an Oklahoma-licensed osteopathic physician in good standing, says its benefits for these patients are significant. "There really is no downside to treating with oxygen," he said. While oxygen is considered a drug, this treatment's risks are minimal, he said. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, the governing body of hyperbaric medicine, has approved the therapy for the treatment of 13 select conditions. Those are covered by
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Medicare and most insurers, he said. So-called off-label uses, such as for autism, are acceptable as long as prescribed by and conducted by licensed physicians, he said. "It's like any other procedure. It has to be done correctly," Wootan said. Both he and hyperbaric technician Brian English were trained in proper protocols. In his practice, Wootan says he has seen anecdotal evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves the function of autistic children. "About 60 percent of the autistic children we've seen do better in behavior and function after hyperbarics as evaluated by their parents," he said. Wootan hopes more research will be done to support this treatment for autistic spectrum disorders. "It's criminal to withhold therapy that can help somebody," he said. "Hyperbarics is like watering your yard. When it's dry and brown, it looks dead. But if you water it again
soon enough, it starts growing. Why? Because the root wasn't dead.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Thai autistic children. J Med Assoc Thai. 2008 Aug HBOT can increase plasma oxygen to the tissues including the brain. CONCLUSION: HBOT is a new treatment for Thai autistic children. Many scientific studies recently have shown that HBOT could be an effective treatment for autistic children. It could improve the major autistic symptoms. AHRC is located right next door to a
Certified Learning Therapy Center to help speed results during hyperbaric oxygen treatments.
1-866-309-9115 www.HyperbaricExperts.com
HBOT & Stroke Articles & Research
Possible New Therapy for Stroke Patients June 30, 2007 By Kristen Johnson A type of therapy known to heal diabetic wounds and treat people with carbon monoxide poison could now be used to treat stroke patients. Doctors at Erlanger Medical Center recently used the Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy to help a 23-year-old stoke patient make some large strides in her recovery. "Oxygen is a drug and it goes to sites of injury and it improves the
oxygenation...does a lot of good things for the cells." "There's an awful lot of research that needs to be carried on with this therapy‌ there's off label programs around the country that have done a lot of this...but for HBO to be accepted this has to be undergo scientific scrutiny at a research institution," Creel states. As one of the most active research stroke centers in the southeast, Doctor Creel says he hopes Erlanger can be part of developing the Hyberbaric Therapy for stroke patients further.
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New life for long-tterm coma patients June 4 2007; By Guo Lei Two long-term comatose patients have finally awakened in Changhai Hospital's hyperbaric oxygen therapeutic center, hospital officials announced over the weekend. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the most effective methods to wake up people in a vegetative state," said Wang Guisong, a respected neurosurgeon at Renji Hospital
Hyperbaric oxygen reduces tissue hypoxia and hypoxia-iinducible factor-11 alpha expression in focal cerebral ischemia. Stroke. 2008 CONCLUSION: Measurement of extrinsic and intrinsic markers of hypoxia revealed that HBO improves penumbral oxygenation in focal ischemia. Modification of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha and its downstream targets may be involved in effects of HBO.
Neuroprotection by oxygen in acute transient focal cerebral ischemia is dose dependent and shows superiority of hyperbaric oxygenation. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2008 The neuroprotective effect of oxygen after acute stroke in rats has been shown previously. However, the question of optimal dosing still remains unanswered. A statistically significant and long-lasting reduction in infarct volume was seen in the HBO 2.5 ATA and 3.0 ATA groups over a period of 7 days. The reduced infarct volume was accompanied with a statistically significant improvement in clinical outcome in the high-dose oxygen-treated groups. These data are important for the development of new acute stroke treatment studies in humans.
Neuroprotection by oxygen in acute transient focal cerebral ischemia is dose dependent and shows superiority of hyperbaric oxygenation. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2008 The neuroprotective effect of oxygen after acute stroke in rats has been shown previously. However, the question of optimal dosing still remains unanswered. A statistically significant and long-lasting reduction in infarct volume was seen in the HBO 2.5 ATA and 3.0 ATA groups over a period of 7 days. The reduced infarct volume was accompanied with a statistically significant improvement in clinical outcome in the high-dose oxygen-treated groups. These data are important for the development of new acute stroke treatment studies in humans.
Ohio State University Medical Center to Test Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Medicine on Stroke Victims Tue, 20 May 2008 Currently utilized for the treatment of chronic, non-healing wounds, carbon monoxide poisoning, crush injuries as well as other indications, the use of hyperbaric medicine for stroke victims is at the forefront of hyperbaric research. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the treatment of the entire body with 100-percent oxygen at greater than normal atmospheric pressures. Hyperbaric medicine greatly increases oxygen concentration in all body tissues, even with reduced or blocked blood flow, stimulates the growth of new blood vessels to locations with reduced circulation (improving blood flow to areas with arterial blockage) and causes a rebound arterial dilation after treatment, resulting in an increased blood vessel diameter greater than when therapy began, thus improving blood flow to compromised organs. The CMIS team is hopeful that these benefits of hyperbaric oxygen treatments will positively affect stroke patients.
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Possible New Therapy for Stroke Patients June 30, 2007 By Kristen Johnson, WDEF News 12 A type of therapy known to heal diabetic wounds and treat people with carbon monoxide poison could now be used to treat stroke patients. Doctors at Erlanger Medical Center recently used the Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy to help a 23-year-old stoke patient make some large strides in her recovery. "Oxygen is a drug and it goes to sites of injury and it improves the oxygenation...does a lot of good things for the cells." "There's an awful lot of research that needs to be carried on with this therapy..there's off label programs around the country that have done a lot of this...but for HBO to be accepted this has to undergo scientific scrutiny at a research institution," Creel states. As one of the most active research stroke c enters in the southeast, Doctor Creel says he hopes Erlanger can be part of developing the Hyberbaric Therapy for stroke patients further.
Edward Teller and HBOT by Carlo Lingiardi, Sunday, May 31, 2009 It turns out that Edward Teller who developed the atomic bomb used to end WWII used a 100% oxygen rigid hyperbaric chamber, and a portable one when he was travelling, to be better after he had strokes. I'm renting the chamber from the very person who gave these treatments to Mr. Teller who eventually also had one for himself. He did treatments until he died. So even if I certainly don't need any reinforcement of my conviction of the efficacy of HBOT for TBI I know that one of the most intelligent mathematicians who ever existed after Einstein
used it himself during his entire life. I'm not a doctor, I've just always been above average in math, but the logic of the effect of oxygen to injured parts, brain included, is too simple not to be understood.
Strokes- Statistics and Prevention May 9, 2009, by Dr. Ramsey In order of predominance, the leading causes of death in the U.S. are (1) cancer (2) cardiovascular disease and (3) stroke. The main cause of strokes are blocked carotid arteries (80%) and more than half of the people who have strokes have absolutely no symptoms prior to stroke onset. Half of the Medicare costs go directly to patients with strokes. Strokes are either caused by ischemia (poor blood flow from the carotid arteries), a clot from local or distant tissues or from a bleed (arterial hemorrhage within the brain from weakened vessels or injury). Since most of the strokes in the US are caused by narrowing carotid arteries, we look first at preventing this. Lifestyle plays a large role here. First, make sure your blood pressure is not high. Second make sure that you have plenty of essential fatty acids in your diet. If you are at higher risk than normal (overweight, smoker, high blood pressure), consider an enzyme called nattokinase to go along with the fish oil and it works as good as taking Coumadin, better than aspirin at preventing clot formation and plaque buildup. If you are reading this article and you or someone you know suffered a stroke, the absolute best medicine you will ever receive for this is Hyperbaric Oxygen. Very few hospitals will offer this care to stroke victims, yet it should absolutely be the first line treatment to restore optimal oxygenation to the starving tissue.
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Strokes- Statistics and Prevention con’t
z
There are genetic predispositions to strokes that go completely unknown until the first stroke, called Atriovenous Malformation. The only way one would know of such a condition is to have an angiogram to look for backflow of the vessels or to have an MRI, which does have some false negative outcomes. Therefore, knowing which symptoms may suggest an onset of a stroke, or a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is as follows: Sudden‌ z numbness or weakness of anywhere in the body z dizziness, loss of balance z trouble speaking or understanding speech z confusion z severe headache z loss of vision or sudden dimness
Prevention is key If you have any of the above listed symptoms, get to a hospital within 2 hours of onset and insist upon an MRA (magnetic resonance angiography) - although expensive to your insurance company, can save your life z If you have a family history of stroke, or if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or are overweight, have a simple carotid artery test called a Doppler study. z Assure that your blood pressure hasn't changed significantly in the past year z Assure that your cholesterol is monitored yearly and maintained at optimal ratio of good to bad cholesterol with lifestyle and supplement measures, avoiding statin drugs as much as possible
z
z
z
z
If you suffer heart fluttering at all, have an echocardiogram to rule out atrial fribrillation. Use increased precaution if you smoke (with fish oil and nattokinase) and try to decrease if possible. Exercise daily - even if it is a simple walk around the block Optimize body composition, which means to increase your lean to fat ratio, regard less of your overall weight Be mindful of alcohol consumption and decrease when possible
Without fail, minimize your stress as this is a major contributor to alterations in heart health, blood flow, nutrient depletion, cholesterol management etc. Here is an affirmation for you to use daily as well. When you say the words, feel their vibration in your cells. If you can feel them with ease and don't notice any resistance in your body when you recite the words, you are in vibration alignment with prevention of strokes: o Life is change, and I adapt easily to the new. I accept life - past, present and future". [taken from You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay]
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Strokes Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) works by saturating a person's blood and plasma with oxygen resulting in increased oxygen delivery to tissues. In fact, because HBOT forces oxygen into the body under pressure, oxygen dissolves into all of the body's fluids including the blood plasma, the lymph, and the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. All of these fluids carry the extra oxygen to the tissues and cells of the body, even where circulation is poor or blocked.
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Strokes- Statistics and Prevention con’t The extra oxygen in the tissues helps the healing process in many ways, including: Enhancing the white blood cells' activity at wound sites and ability to fight infection; promoting the development of new blood vessels for increased circulation to hypoxic areas; assisting the body to build new connective tissue in damaged areas; reducing edema by vasoconstriction; and blocking cytotoxic effects of many harmful gases/poisons. No matter what causes a stroke, the result is a localized area of damage in the brain called an infarct. The injured area has a central core of damaged tissue that cannot be repaired, surrounded by an area that is not as heavily damaged. Between the damaged tissue and the unaffected, normal brain tissue is a zone called the penumbra. The penumbra contains dormant/ idling neurons that are intact but nonfunctioning.
HBOT, by providing extra oxygen under pressure, helps wake up these idling cells so they can recover their function. Once these neurons begin working again, many of the symptoms of stroke disappear. HBOT also has many other benefits for the treatment of strokes, which include: z Relief of oxygen starvation or hypoxia z Increased microcirculation or capillary development to increase blood flow z Decreased brain swelling or edema by constricting nearby blood vessels z Relief of muscle spasticity z Reduction of free radicals that continue to cause tissue damage z Stimulation of nerve impulses through the brain and spinal cord z Protection of the integrity of cell membranes so they can function properly
Other Articles New life for long-tterm coma patients June 4 2007; By Guo Lei TWO long-term comatose patients have finally awakened in Changhai Hospital's hyperbaric oxygen therapeutic center, hospital officials announced over the weekend. Zhang Shifen, 30, from Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, came to the hospital just after the May holiday break. She was in a coma after being poisoned by hydrogen sulfide at work.
Cai Zhongliang, 35, from Jiading, on the outskirts of Shanghai, woke up at the end of last month after three months in coma caused by a traffic accident. Both of them were treated with hyberbaric oxygen therapy. "We feel overjoyed now because doctors at our local hospital said my daughter will never wake up," said Tang Rendi, Zhang's mother. Liu Qingle, the center's director, understands the joy and excitement but considers the two just normal cases.
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HBOT & Stroke Articles & Research
New life for long-tterm coma patients con’t "We help comatose patients regain consciousness just like other doctors treat diseases such as colds," said Liu. The hospital's statistics show that an average one or two patients in a vegetative state have awakened every month since 2002, when the center's hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment swung into full operation. According to Liu, their wake-ups account for more than 50 percent of patients. "We can tell whether the patient can wake up in most cases based on our experiences," said Liu. Liu explained that the therapy helps cause a saturation of oxygen in the plasma and tissue fluids so the body can function more effectively. "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the most effective methods to wake up people in a vegetative state," said Wang Guisong, a respected neurosurgeon at Renji Hospital.
will confirm the model of 'neuroplasticity. This model is one that shows that the brain is much more complex than previously believed. The key point here being that the brain can 'reorganize itself' after an injury; thereby, taking over functioning of the area that has been lost by the dead brain tissue. So the brain can be re-booted or shocked back to recovery. Please keep in mind that this is a normal process that occurs after a brain injury. However, recent studies have shown that this process can be accelerated immensely. One major advancement is in the application of enhancing neuroplasticity is in the use of hyperbaric oxygenation therapy. Studies have confirmed that the medical procedure involving the use of hyperbaric oxygenation therapy can significantly enhance neuroplasticity that normally follows an 'injured brain'. So with our understanding of neuroplasticity, once again, I can confidently say that 'the injured brain can be repaired'.
The Injured Brain Can Be Repaired.
Neuroplasticity shows 'the injured brain can be shocked back to normal' by Dr. Ratansi, ND
Speed the recovery of you or your loved one. Contact the Advanced Hyperbaric & Recovery Centre now.
Of recent interest is the understanding of neuroplasticity. This is an important model that we are now gaining an incredible amount of knowledge in and that changed our viewpoints on the 'injured brain model'. Up until recently, if you spoke to a neurologist on the injured brain model of repair, they would uniformly say that once a part of the brain has been damaged, so has its function. In other words, it was originally thought that if you damaged a part of the brain, then the damages would be permanent and there would be no hope of full repair and recovery. This model of brain injury has now changed. Ask most neurologists today and they
1-866-309-9115 www.HyperbaricExperts.com Dr. Zayd Ratansi, ND with clinic practitioners Lorraine and Kelly.
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