The New Epidemic

The number of Americans suffering from the debilitating effects of Multiple Sclerosis is estimated to be a quarter of a million and growing. MS is a central nervous system disease that is thought to be an autoimmune condition generated by a virus, although definite causes are unknown at this time.   More and more patients are showing up with chronic forms of the disease, leading to multisystemic illness and disability that is devastating to the individuals and families suffering from it.

Oxygen to the Rescue?

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) has been a mainstay of alternative treatments for MS for over a decade now.  HBOT forces oxygen into the tissues under pressure, flooding cells and helping to heal tissues, increase oxygen and assist in immune modulation (white blood cells need oxygen in order to kill intruders).  Until   recently, however, treatment was only available at clinics, which meant that those suffering had to travel for treatment, often staying in a motel for weeks or months.  The cost was prohibitive. Although profound improvement often resulted, just as many patients slowly relapsed over time.  A minimum of 6 weeks and as long as 6 months of daily treatment may be necessary. The cost of treatment, travel, lodging and food at freestanding clinics means that most patients pay around $6,00-8,000 per month of treatment. Most patients do not have the time or money for this.

Now, portable hyperbaric chambers are available to patients for daily use in their homes.  These chambers are often called “mild hyperbaric” because they pressurize to 1.3-1.35 ata (between 10 and 11 feet underwater). More and more conditions, from brain trauma to cerebral palsy to chronic infection, are being tested at these “lower” pressures, and they are being found effective.  This is causing the hyperbaric industry to go through a sea change in their recommended protocols.  Perhaps more is not more.  Perhaps less is more.

 With portable hyperbaric chambers, there is absolutely no disruption to lifestyle: treatments can be done in the home, at any time of day or night, for as little or long as desired, and the patient can sleep in his or her own bed.  Most importantly, treatment can be long-term, which seems to be required for this slow-growing, intracellular, and refractory organism.

Are Home Chambers Effective?

Mild chambers pressurize to about 1.3-1.5 ata (about 10-11 feet underwater).  This is far less than the common protocol used in clinics of 2.5 ata in the original experiments on hyperbaric therapy. Is 1.3 enough pressure to be effective? Studies suggest that lower pressures are more beneficial to patients than the higher pressure sessions. Oxygen helps to restore the function of hormones and boost immune function, increasing the metabolic efficiency of every cell in the body.          

Finally, by adding in other treatments, one can attack the disease steadily and methodically, allowing enough time for the body to heal and gain health, allowing for symptom resolution.

In fact, 1.3-1.5 ata may be ideal pressures for the body.  See the graph showing oxygen saturation in tissues at varying pressures.

How Does Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Work?

     Multiple Sclerosis, like many chronic illnesses, causes a chronic, debilitating dysregulation of the entire immune and nervous system.  Patients suffer from simultaneous exhaustion and insomnia, extreme pain, loss of vision, weakness, loss of bladder control, immobility, neurological dysfunction and more. All of this may be treated by mild pressure hyperbaric oxygen.  According to Ignacio Fojgel, M.D., “The action of pressure and oxygen on the autonomic nervous system has never been given its due attention. I have been insisting that many effects of the chambers are dependent on modification in the autonomic nervous system. Many people sleep during the session or become relaxed and kind of peaceful. Parasympathetic up-regulation, and/or sympathetic down-regulation occur.  That is why we sleep during an illness: a relatively high parasympathetic tone is needed for most healing process to happen.”

The Proof is in the Brain and Blood

Mild Hyperbaric oxygen treatments can improve brain function almost immediately, and can improve the appearance of the blood in less than an hour.  One remarkable study by Dr. Gunnar Heuser measured brain function by SPECT scan after treatment. 

Finally, we have included a photo of red blood cells before a 40-minute session in a portable, mild hyperbaric chamber, as well as an after photo.  No extra oxygen was used: simply pressurizing with air raises oxygen levels in the air from 21% to 24%, and pushes that extra bit of oxygen more deeply into the plasma.  These pictures show that red blood cells, which tend to clump in chronic illness, unclump after a 40-minute session. When unclumped, more oxygen is available to the system because the entire red blood cell is freely moving through the body.

The Future is Bright

The utilization of hyperbaric is considered the primary course of therapy for MS in most countries in Europe.  Treatment with Hyperbaric oxygen via home chambers is also a burgeoning area of research, and as more and more doctors and patients experiment with this modality, its profound health benefits will be increasingly recognized, and treatment protocols refined and optimized.  These home chambers provide a valuable tool on the road to cure for difficult conditions like Multiple Sclerosis.