Dr. Kathy Ferraro uses mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) with clients at the Center for Holistic Medicine. The chamber at the center is large enough to accommodate a parent with a child during treatment. “We have seen significant improvements in several of our clients using this therapy,” she says.

HBOT is the medical use of oxygen at a level higher than atmospheric pressure. Higher atmospheric pressure significantly increases the amount of oxygen that is dissolved in blood and allows for increased delivery of oxygen to tissues in the body. By increasing the amount of oxygen rich blood, HBOT stimulates the body to release substances that promote healing.

Traditional high-pressure hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a well-known treatment for wound care, bone infection and cerebral infections. HBOT is also used in carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as to treat altitude sickness.

Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves the use of a soft chamber that allows for the delivery of low pressure (1.3 atmospheres) oxygen. Treatment can be coupled with an oxygen concentrator to increase purity. Although it is only approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mild altitude sickness, there are many off-label uses of mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Using mild hyperbaric oxygen allows for portability of the chamber. Because the therapy is time-consuming and often requires multiple treatments, rental of the unit is also available.

For more information on mild hyperbaric therapy and its uses, contact the Center for Holistic Medicine at 717-243- 0616 or visit cntrholisticmed.com.