Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy “HBOT” is a prescribed treatment approved by the FDA and AMA in which a person breathes 100% medical grade oxygen while under increased pressure. “Hyper” means increased and “baric” relates to pressure. At Hyperbarics of Sun Valley treatments are given in a mono-place (single occupancy) or multi-place chamber. During treatment the patient can relax by watching a movie, listening to music or just rest. It is a non-evasive, safe method of administering pure oxygen at greater than atmospheric pressure to a patient in order to improve or correct certain conditions. Providing oxygen in a pressurized chamber allows the delivery of 10-15 times more oxygen than if it was delivered at sea level or at normal atmospheric pressure.
HBOT has been proven effective in the conventional treatment for decompression sickness, severe carbon monoxide poisoning, certain wounds or injuries, skin infections, as well as delayed radiation injury and certain bone or brain infections. Sessions can last from 60 minutes to two hours during which the patient may experience ear popping or mild discomfort, these can both be alleviated by equalizing the pressure somewhat. At this juncture the FDA classifies oxygen as a drug and requires a prescription by a physician or licensed health care provider. Most health insurance policies including Medicare and Medicaid cover medically approved uses of HBOT. Throughout the treatment session the patient is fully monitored by the HBOT technician.