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by staff
Oxygen is vital to life on Earth. It stands guard against harmful bacterial attacks,
viral assault, infection and disease in the body. Without it, a simple scratch
would not heal and life saving surgery would be impossible. The body does not
make oxygen but rather consumes it from the environment. When that process is
inhibited in any way, healing of tissue becomes labored and in some cases apparently
impossible. Diabetes sufferers are among those acutely aware of pain and discomfort
associated with chronic non-healing wounds.
Ischemia (lack of blood supply) and hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the blood) are
perhaps two of the most direct internal causes of non-healing tissue. This is
manifest in ulcers (venous, arterial and diabetic), pressure sores, gangrene,
bone infection (osteomyelitis), post-radiation wounds, failed skin grafts, abscesses
and infections. Many people believe that these conditions cannot be corrected;
that at best they can be kept at bay using various pharmaceutical approaches.
In the past that might have held true, but as medical researchers delve more into
oxygen and circulation, it is being shown that many so-called hopeless situations
can be stopped and even reversed.
People who are dealing with chronic wounds, generally live with other medical
complications that have developed over years. Although oxygen, when administered
therapeutically is beneficial holistically speaking, its healing properties are
more obvious superficially. For example when gangrene has progressed to a certain
point, amputation is often the standard medical option. However, it has been shown
that when gangrene is treated with specific oxygen therapy, regeneration can occur
as a result of increased microcirculation. This same principle applies to other
visibly obvious and unseen non-healing conditions.
Oxygen therapy is a natural adjunct to sports surgery. Many high performance athletes
have used hyperbaric oxygen therapy to aid in healing broken bones and to speed
up mending of damaged tissues. Furthermore, the likelihood of infection is greatly
reduced as pure oxygen will kill most anaerobic bacteria and stimulate the body
to grow new blood vessels and nerves. This can also have an effect on back problems,
frostbite and burns. Currently research is underway on spinal cord injury, multiple
sclerosis and cerebral palsy.
Safe use of pure therapeutic oxygen should be conducted by physicians and doctors
who are qualified to analyze patients’ medical histories and who can properly
prescribe and monitor treatments. Because oxygen must be under pressure to effectively
oxygenate tissue and vascular systems, it is stored and administered under strict
regulations to ensure safety of patients and handlers. Careful measuring of oxygen
levels in the blood and tissue before, during and after treatment is essential
to achieving desired results. Well-equipped hyperbaric oxygen clinics should have
specialized diagnostic equipment and government certified treatment chambers.
Presently, the BC Medical Services Plan covers certain hyperbaric oxygen therapy
treatments (HBOT) at government facilities. Alberta Medical Services Plan on the
other hand offers wider coverage for HBOT.
For more information go to the Health Canada site at www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
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