it's been a while life is keeping me busy.
This will be a short post but nevertheless important.
Of course even Hyperbaric Oxygen has contraindications.
There is absolute ones (= No no) and relative ones:
Absolute Contraindications:
- Bleomycin Exposure (This is a chemo agent)
- Undrained pneumothorax
- Concurrent chemotherapy/radiation therapy
- Pressure-sensitive implanted medical device (eg, automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator, pacemaker, dorsal column stimulator, insulin pump)
- and of course if the Patient refuses.(1)
Relative Contraindications:
- Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma
- Severe claustrophobia
- Chronic sinusitis/upper respiratory infection
- History of spontaneous pneumothorax
- High fever/dehydration (1)
Here is what i have to say about some of the relative one's:
In case of Number 3 this is unfortunate because I believe Hyperbaric
Oxygen can actually help, but the problem is that you might not
be able to equalize your ear pressure which occurs during inflation
and deflation of the chamber.
For Number 2: I have seen claustrophobic people going into
Hyperbaric Oxygen chambers, but it is more rare that they will be
able to complete a full session and if they do it usually requires
attended sessions. Rule of thumb is if they want to come out just
let them out don't try to talk them into remaining in the chamber
or make them wrong in any way because they will never come back
and so deprive themselves of the possible benefits.
Numbers 1 and 4 I would probably not put in.
Number 5 i might have to come back to you. I don't see a problem
there but I might be wrong I'll let you know in a later post.
Have a great week :)
(1)
Kindwall EP. Contraindications and side effects to hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
In: Kindwall EP, editor. Hyperbaric medicine practice. Flagstaff, AZ:
Best Publishing, 1995
